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OCT 16 1994 


EVANGELISM... .... 


THE MAN, THE MESSAGE, 
THE METHOD 






A “How” text-book of evangelistic 
methods, growing out of 
actual experience 


BY , 
TRAVERCE HARRISON 
and CECIL J. SHARP 


CINCINNATI, O. 
THE STANDARD PUBLISHING COMPANY 


» 


Copyright, 1924, 


The Standard Publishing Company 


IBS the end that all Christians may 

learn to be savers of souls for our 
Lord and Master Jesus Christ, and, 
therefore, to all our brethren who bear 
His name and love His cause, this book 
is respectfully and lovingly dedicated. 


THE STARLESS CROWN 


“They that turn many to righteousness shall shine as the stars for 
ever and ever.’’—Dan. 12: 3. 


Wearied and worn with earthly cares, I yielded to repose, 

And soon before my raptured sight a glorious vision rose. 

I thought, whilst slumbering on my couch in midnight’s solemn gloom, 
I heard an angel’s silvery voice and radiance filled my room. 


A gentle touch awakened me; a gentle whisper said, 

‘‘Arise, O sleeper; follow me,’? and through the air we fied. 
We left the earth so far away that like a speck it seemed, 
And heavenly glory, calm and pure, across our pathway streamed. 


Still on we went. My soul was wrapped in silent ecstacy— 

I wondered what the end would be, what next should meet my eye. 
I know not how we journeyed through the pathless fields of light, 
When suddenly a change was wrought, and I was clothed in white. 


We stood before a city’s walls most glorious to behold; 

We passed through gates of glistening pearl, o’er streets of purest gold. 
It needed not the sun by day, the silver moon by night— 

The glory of the Lord was there, the Lamb Himself its light. 


Bright angels paced the shining streets, sweet music filled the air, 

And white-robed saints, with elittering crowns, from every clime were there. 
And some that I had loved on earth stood with them round the throne. 
“All worthy is the Lamb,” they sang, ‘“‘the glory all His own.” 


But fairer far than all besides I saw my Saviour’s face, 

And as I gazed, He smiled on me with wondrous love and grace. 
Lowly I bowed before His throne, o’erjoyed that I at last 

Had gained the heaven of my hopes, that earth at length was past. 


And then in solemn tones He said: ‘‘Where is the diadem 

That ought to sparkle on thy brow, adorned with many a gem? 

I know thou hast believed on me, and life through me is thine, 
But where are all the radiant stars that in thy crown should shine? 


“Yonder thou seest a glorious throng, and stars on every brow; 

For every soul they led to me they wear a jewel now. 

And such thy bright reward had been, if such had been thy deed, 

If thou hadst sought some wandering feet in paths of peace to lead. 


“T did not mean that thou shouldst tread the way of life alone, 

But that the clear and shining light which round thy footsteps shone 
Should guide some other weary feet to my bright home of rest, 

And thus, in blessing those around, thou hadst thyself been blest.’’ 


The vision faded from my sight, the voice no longer spake; 

A spell seemed brooding o’er my soul which long I feared to break; 
And when at last I gazed around in morning’s glimmering light, 
My spirit fell, o’erwhelmed beneath the vision’s awful night. 


I rose, and wept with chastened joy that yet I dwelt below, 
That yet another hour was mine my faith by works to show; 
That yet some sinner I might tel] of Jesus’ dying love, 
And help to lead some weary soul to seek a home above. 


And now, while on the earth I stay, my motto this shall be: 
“To live no longer to myself, but Him who died for me;” 
And graven on my inmost soul this word of truth divine: 
“They that turn many to the Lord bright as the stars shall shine.” 


—The Parish Visitor. 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 
ORE WORD eres elec eee tei sel cm ALI QC Ria y USE UAH Be) 7 
PPLE LISVANGELIS Mi OBO BSUS sce cree lee LOMO OM MU wn 9 
By C. J. Sharp. 
IT. THE NEED FOR NEW TESTAMENT EVANGELISM...............- 21 
By Traverce Harrison. 
III. ADVANTAGES OF OUR PLEA IN EVANGELISM.............-.--... oo 
By C. J. Sharp. 
IV. COLLEGE TRAINING FOR EVANGELISM...............20.222222-000000-+- 47 
By Traverce Harrison. 
V. EVANGELISM IN THE BIBLE SCHOOL................0002...--2--.00-- 59 
By Traverce Harrison. 
VI. OuTpost BIBLE SCHOOLS AS THE SEED FoR NEW 
CTU ROBES Ure k On Ua Mi (DOHA 75 
By C. J. Sharp. 
Wilt PERSON ADVAN GELIS Mi rere etsy yo s00 tear nolL gs Up cu UDMA pe ead MI 85 
By Traverce Harrison. 
VIII. Group EVANGELISM. ..............-..2.---- ES DATOS eCPM Ee PN Mink 97 
By C. J. Sharp. 
TATA ECLRING pF IME CRUITS iy eas dettace uM eeaied Pera Rede suuNiauz ce au Persea ate gia ha 
By C. J. Sharp. 
X. TRAINING GOSPEL TEAMS AND PERSONAL WORKERS...... 123 
| By Traverce Harrison. 
PCE USK OR MGOSP Ham AMS coy Maui ue la anus Deus Mele. 20s bis ey 
By C. J. Sharp. 
Aa TOPENING CLOSED | CHURCHES il Merten SCOTIA yal Ooty 147 
By C. J. Sharp. 
XIII. How To PLANT AND ORGANIZE NEW TESTAMENT 


ee 00.2 a0 1) OVEN Ge JA 1 GMS VOM RLS vA ae A Ny LO 161 
By C. J. Sharp. 


Contents 


XIV. How to House THE NEW CONGREGATION..........2.-.:cccc0000 181 


By C. J. Sharp. 


XV. How To SEcuRE A MINISTRY FOR THE SMALL CHURCH.... 191 


AVI. 


VET: 


AV IL 


XIX. 


XX. 


9.0.4 


XXIT. 


XXIII. 


XXIV. 


XXV. 


XXVI. 


XXVIT. 


AXVITI. 


By C. J. Sharp. 


HOWTO) PREACH (TO) REACH INU io) oe ac enone 
By Traveree Harrison. 

How To CONDUCT THE INVITATION.......-.-.-----00---2-200-++- 219 
By Traverce Harrison. 

HOWTO) TAKE) THE CONFESSION s..200-ts.cpeveteeeteecae 229 
By C. J. Sharp. 

How TO PERFORM A NEW TESTAMENT BAPTISM...... 241 
By C. J. Sharp. 

How TO CoNDUCT THE COMMUNION SERVICE...........- 259 
By C. J. Sharp. 

HOWTO AUS BATRA CTS ree ue ee ae 273 
By Traverce Harrison. 

THE GENERAL EVANGELIST AND EVANGELISM.......... 285 
By C. J. Sharp. 

THE SoNG EVANGELIST AND EVANGELISM................ 297 
By Traveree Harrison. 

THE ORGANIZATION AND PREPARATION OF THE 
CHURCH | FOR! TVANGEIS Mig). U i) Wiloert yee eee 309 
By C. J. Sharp. 

ADVERTISING, WHY AND HlOW...........-..-ccs--ecectecoceceeeer ee 325 
By C. J. Sharp. 

CONSERVING) |THE RESULTS..css ceteentaseateserhsret nave neem 345 
By Traverce Harrison. 

BIN ANOING OTHE UVEIBETIN Gute er Cuevas 07) cee lal ar Same aae 357 
By Traverce Harrison. 

AN ADEQUATE EVANGELISTIC PROGRAM FOR THE 


TOGAG \CHUROH ee Ay tea os cece ena 371 
By Traverce Harrison. 


LATER WORD Meu reniinste wa ntee cee a iengee a: tonics a ee ees ge ae 379 


FOREWORD 


VANGELISM is the first task of the church. We 

have given our ministers courses in compara- 
tive religions, psychology, sociology and _ theology, 
but when have we given a thorough course in the 
practical work of evangelism? 

While there have been produced books on evan- 
gelism, these are, for the most part, short, practical 
books of instruction for use in immediate preparation 
for a coming, revival meeting. There are two splendid 
text-books, specifically prepared for use as text- 
books, that have come to our attention. The one is 
‘‘Training for Personal Evangelism,’’ by Traverce 
Harrison, and the other is ‘‘New Testament Evan- 
gelism,’’ by Jesse Kellems. The first deals largely 
with the subjects to be taught and treated in an 
evangelistic campaign, and the other deals with 
practically all the phases of work incident to a re- 
vival campaign. 

So far as we know, however, there is no text-book 
comprehensively covering all phases of the evangelis- 
tic work, when we think of evangelism as every 
Christian’s task for the whole year round. We have 
long felt that there should be a comprehensive, yet 
condensed, text-book in popular lesson form, suitable 
for study and reference by ministers, and usable by 


them as a text-book in classes. There is also a grave 
7 


8 Foreword 


need for a text-book suitable for definite and sys- 
tematic classwork in institutes and Bible colleges. 

This book is produced with the hope that it may 
at least blaze the way in the direction of a systematic 
and thorough study of all phases of evangelism, and 
all tasks incident thereto. The matters handled in 
each chapter, and the suggestions made, are not 
based on theories, but have been carefully collected 
from the most successful soul-winners among us. 

It is intended, first of all, that this volume may 
be simple and practical. All studies are made up 
of thoroughly systematized and condensed paragraphs 
suited to classwork. However, the paragraphs are 
so arranged that the book is most readable. The in- 
tention has been to omit no phase of work im- 
mediately incident to evangelism, whether it be revival 
evangelism, personal evangelism, constant evangelism, 
Bible-school evangelism, missionary evangelism, or 
any other form of evangelism. In addition, the book 
attempts to deal concretely with the tasks incident 
to the work, and covers all tasks from the advertis- 
ing of a meeting, to, and including, baptism, organi- 
zation, care and training of the converts, and housing 
the new congregations. C. J. SHARP. 


I. 
THE EVANGELISM OF JESUS 


OUTLINE STUDY I. 


I. WHAT THE EVANGELISM OF JESUS INCLUDES. 
1. Work Done by Jesus. 
2. Special Work Done by Inspired Followers. 
3. Work to be Done by Uninspired Followers. 
II. PERSONAL MINISTRY OF CHRIST. 
1. Jesus Prepared Himself for His Task. 
. He Prepared His Hearers for His Message. 
. He Did Personal Evangelism. 
. He Reached the Multitude. 
. Trained Others to Do the Work. 
IIT. WORK OF HIS INSPIRED FOLLOWERS. 
1. Founded the Church and Gave Us the Word. 
2. Noteworthy Points to Their Ministry: 
(1) Though inspired, they worked and sacrificed. 
(2) Were strictly loyal to their commission. 
(3) Held to the one task. 
(4) Gave us a clear written Word. 
IV. WORK TO BE DONE BY HIS UNINSPIRED FOLLOW- 
ERS. 
1. Message and Method (to be treated in later chapters). 
2. Requirements: 
(1) Men of power. 
(2) Humility. 
(3) Sterling honesty. 
(4) Prayer. 
(5) Confidence, faith and conviction. 
(6) Fervor. 
(7) Accurate familiarity with the Word. 


oe OF bd 


10 


te 
THe EVANGELISM OF JESUS. 


I. WHAT THE EVANGELISM OF JESUS 
INCLUDES 


HE evangelism of Jesus consists not only of the 

work done by the Master Himself, but of the 
work to be done at His command by His followers. 
The evangelism of Jesus began with His personal min- 
istry, and continues through His followers to this 
present time and is to be carried on until His pur- 
pose is fulfilled. In the following chapter we divide 
the evangelism of Jesus into: 

1. The work done by the Master Himself. ‘‘For 
the Son of man came to seek and to save that which 
was lost’’? (Luke 19:10). 

2. The special work done by His inspired fol- 
lowers. ‘‘Jesus therefore said to them again, Peace be 
unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send 
I you’’ (John 20:21). 

3. The work to be done by uninspired followers. 
*‘Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the na- 
tions, baptizing them into the name of the Father 
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit’’ (Matt. 28:19). 

The best commentary on all this work of winning 


the world to Him is the New Testament itself. 
11 


12 Evangelism 


II. PERSONAL MINISTRY OF CHRIST 


1. Jesus Prepared Himself for His Task. 

(1) He had a complete knowledge of the word of 
God. It was ever on His tongue and no gainsayer 
could ever trip Him in its use. 

(2) He prepared Himself by prayer and direct 
communion with the Father, until He came before the 
people to tell them of the Father, as one who has just 
been in His presence. 

(3) He prepared Himself by thoroughly familiar- 
izing Himself with nature, as witness His ever-ready 
illustrations from every feature of nature-life about 
Him. 

(4) He prepared Himself by coming to know men 
and women in their every-day life and thinking, as 
witness His ever-keen analysis of the life and think- 
ing of every class of people. 

2. Jesus Prepared His Hearers for His Message. 

(1) Almost His every recorded physical act was 
made to prepare the minds and hearts of men for His 
spiritual message. He fed men on loaves of bread 
that they might then hear of the bread of life. He 
asked for a drink of water that He might tell of the 
water of life. He took advantage of all men’s love 
for a story that He might teach the most profound 
things about God. 

Example from the Scripture is recorded in the 
fifteenth chapter of Luke: ‘‘Now all the publicans 
and sinners were drawing near unto him to hear him. 
And both the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, 
saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with 


The Evangelism of Jesus 13 


them. And he spake unto them this parable, saying 

.”’ Here follow the stories of the lost sheep, the 
feet eoin, and the lost boy, all with one purpose, and 
that to show the heavenly Father’s never-failing love 
for sinful men. 

3. Jesus Did Personal Evangelism. 

To Him, one individual meant an opportunity. 
One of the best examples contained in the New Testa-— 
ment is to be found in the fourth chapter of John. 
We find that: 

(1) He was traveling, yet He won a soul on the 
way. 

(2) It was high noon and luncheon time, yet He 
thought first of the bread of life for a perishing 
soul. 

(3) He was tired and hungry, yet He did not 
allow that fact to cause Him to put off the oppor- 
tunity. 

(4) The opportunity seemed small, only one, and 
that a strange woman. 

(5) The one to be won was a despised woman of a 
despised people. 

(6) Excuses were abundant, but none of them 
stopped Him. 

(7) His method of approach was tactful, and not 
offensive. 

(8) He did not turn away because the woman did 
not at first appreciate His meaning and purpose. 

(9) He did not allow her to turn Him from His 
point. 

(10) He unerringly drove the truth home about 
both sin and God. 


14 Evangelism 


(11) He convinced, convicted and won the woman, 
until she became, in turn, one to bring to Him many 
others. 

(12) He uses the incident to further prepare His 
disciples that they may be winners of souls. 

4. Jesus Knew How to Reach the Multitude as 
Well as the Individual. ) 

This fact is clearly set forth in the New Testa- 
ment. ‘‘For when the many thousands of the multi- 
tude were gathered together, insomuch that they trod 
one upon another’’ (Luke 12:1). Jesus taught them 
effectively. ‘‘Peter said, and they that were with 
him, Master, the multitudes press thee and crush 
thee’? (Luke 8:45). At one time we find that ‘‘ Jesus 
went up into the temple, and taught’’ (John 7:14), 
and at another time ‘‘all the people came unto him; 
and he sat down, and taught them’’ (John 8:2). 

5. Jesus Trained Others to Carry Out the Work 
Which He Began. 

‘‘For he taught them as one having authority, and 
not as their scribes’? (Matt. 7:29). ‘‘And they told 
him all things, whatsoever they had done, and what- 
soever they had taught’’ (Mark 6:30). ‘‘And as he 
was wont, he taught them again’’ (Mark 10:1). 
Jesus says: ‘‘As thou didst send me into the world, 
even so send I them’’ (John 17:18). ‘‘And as my 
Father hath sent me, so send I you’? (John 20:21). 

Jesus took particular pains to choose and instruct 
men to carry on the work, and this is as strictly the 
work of evangelism to-day as is the winning of men 
to Christ. Every minister should have a group in 
special training for preaching the Word. 


The Evangelism of Jesus 15 


III. WORK OF THE INSPIRED FOLLOWERS OF 
JESUS | 


While this phase of the evangelism of Jesus 
deserves an extended treatment, we here give but a 
few brief points. 

1. Founded the Church and Gave Us the Word. 

These men were especially chosen and specially’ 
equipped and specially guided to give the gospel to 
the world in the day when the word of the New 
Testament was not yet given. They were, therefore, 
baptized with the Holy Spirit and given special pow- 
ers to work miracles, as credentials of their appoint- 
ment. They were empowered to speak by inspiration, 
and were directly guided by the Holy Spirit, while 
we are indirectly guided by the Holy Spirit through 
His word, the New Testament. They were directly 
commanded to unlock the kingdom, preach the first 
gospel sermons, make known once and for all the 
gospel terms of pardon, and the conditions of Chris- 
tian life, conduct, service and reward. 

2. Noteworthy Points to Their Ministry. 

A few noteworthy things about the ministry of the 
inspired workers are worth mentioning here. 

(1) They did not allow the fact that they were 
specially imbued, empowered and inspired to lessen 
their heroic, persistent, personal efforts. They worked, 
they sacrificed. 

(2) They were absolutely loyal to the commission 
under which they preached. Each and every one gave 
answer to the question, ‘‘What shall I do to be 


saved?’’ strictly according to the terms of the great 
2 


16 Evangelism 


commission. Peter’s exhortation was: ‘‘Repent ye, 
and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus 
Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall 
receive the gift of the Holy Spirit’’ (Acts 2: 38). 

(3) They adhered strictly to the one thing above 
all things—the preaching of Jesus Christ as Lord and 
Saviour. Paul says: ‘‘I determined not to know any- 
thing among you, save Jesus Christ and him erucified”’ 
(1 Cor. 2:2). ‘*‘But we preach Christ crucified, unto 
the Jews a stumbling-block, and unto the Gentiles 
foolishness’’ (1 Cor. 1:28). ‘‘Preach the word; be 
urgent in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, ex- 
hort, with all longsuffering and teaching’’ (2 Tim. 
4:2). | 

(4) They gave us the word of the Holy Spirit in 
writing that we might all, and ever, have the guidance 
of the Holy Spirit. ‘‘Every scripture inspired of 
God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for 
correction, for instruction which is in righteousness: 
that the man of God may be complete, furnished com- 
-pletely unto every good work’’ (2 Tim 3:16, 17). 


IV. WORK TO BE DONE BY HIS UNINSPIRED 
FOLLOWERS 


1. Message and Method. 

Inasmuch as the remaining chapters of this vol- 
ume deal largely with the message and the method, 
we shall confine the remainder of this study to the 
man. 'To be an evangelist, whether professional evan- 
gelist, minister evangelist or personal evangelist, we 
must remember whose message it is we are to deliver, 
and whom we represent. 


The Evangelism of Jesus Ly 


2. Requirements. 

What kind of men ought we to be if we are to rep- 
resent Him? If we are to do the evangelism of Jesus, 
we must have men with the Christ spirit, with the 
Christ passion. ‘‘For the Son of man came to seek 
and save that which was lost’? (Luke 19:10). ‘‘And 
this is life eternal, that they should know thee, the 
only true God, and him whom thou didst send, even 
Jesus Christ’? (John 17:3). And, ‘‘As my Father 
hath sent me, so send I you’’ (John 20:21). 

Summed up, our task is to make men know God. 
This is evangelism indeed. The man, the messenger, 
has much to do with the way the message is received. 
It is great to be a Christian. It is wonderful to be a 
messenger, an evangelist for Jesus Christ. In the last 
great day it will be better to have been the humblest 
citizen in the humblest nation of dark Africa and have 
been a Christian, than to have been emperor of the 
proudest empire and have failed to be a Christian. 
Following we sum up some of the characteristics of the 
Christ which are needed in every evangelist : 

(1) Men of power. Jesus was a man of power. 
An evangelist should cultivate his every ability. He 
dare not be a weakling. He must stand the tests. 

(2) Humility. Jesus maintained humility. Here 
is a thing to be regarded by every evangelist. There 
are peculiar temptations that go with the calling. 
The very nature of the work, with the evangelist lead- 
ing and all else following, tends to encourage egotism. 
The work of all appears to be his work. The results 
of the work all appear to be his results. To do the evan- 
gelism of Jesus, humility must ever be maintained. 


18 Evangelism 


(3) Sterling honesty. Old-fashioned, common 
honesty is a characteristic that it seems would not 
even need to be mentioned. Yet the evangelist will 
deal with many situations so harsh, many so unjust, 
and many so unfair, that the edge of his own stand- 
ards is likely to be dulled. Dissimulation, pretense, 
departures from the truth, exaggerations, and even 
exceeding carelessness in agreements and financial 
matters, are snares over which many a good man has 
fallen even while engaged in the Lord’s most sacred 
work. ‘‘Take thought for things honorable in the 
sight of all men’’ (Rom. 12:17). 

(4) Prayer. Have we ever learned to pray? 
There have been men who were mighty in prayer. 
Are we? Have we not much to learn about prayer 
if we are to be evangelists for the Saviour? Let us 
remember Jesus ‘‘went up into the mountain to 
pray’’ (Matt. 14:25). 

(5) Confidence. Confidence is the opposite of 
doubt. We ought to go out with absolute confidence 
in God, in Christ, in the word of God and its power, 
and, last of all, with confidence in ourselves. Vic- 
tories are seldom won by those who start out with 
their banners trailing in the dust. He who does not 
‘confidently expect to win souls will searcely succeed. 
(See Matt. 21:21.) Confidence, faith and conviction 
eo hand in hand. It takes conviction to convince. 

(6) Earnestness. Earnestness is an absolute essen- 
tial to the successful soul-winner. Earnestness begets 
fervor. It takes fire to start fire. Cold facts might 
convince, but seldom convict or inspire. Earnestness 
begets confidence and respect, in the hearers. You 


The Evangelism of Jesus 19 


want your hearers-to be in earnest, then be yourself 
in deadly earnest. Jesus was enough in earnest that 
He was willing to die, and thus convince a world. 
We are to be ‘‘fervent in spirit; serving the Lord’’ 
(Rom. 12:11). 

(7) An accurate familiarity with the word of 
God. If, as evangelists, we are specialists in any one, 
thing, it is as teachers of the word of God. A mounte- 
bank may manipulate a crowd, but it takes a teacher 
of the Word to make Christians. It is here that, as 
a people, we are peculiar evangelists. ‘‘Preach the 
word’’ (2 Tim 4:2). **. ... in your faith supply vir- 
tue; and in your virtue knowledge; and in your 
knowledge self-control; and in your self-control 
patience; and in your patience godliness; and in your 
godliness brotherly kindness; and in your brotherly 
kindness love. For if these things are yours and 
abound, they make you to be not idle nor unfruitful 
unto the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ’’ (2 
Pet. 1: 5-8). 

TEST QUESTIONS 


1. Name the three general divisions of the evan- 
gelism of Jesus. 

2. Give Scripture quotations summarizing the pur- 
pose of all New Testatment evangelism. 

3. Name five features of the personal ministry of 
Jesus. 

4. Name four features of Jesus’ personal prepara- 
tion. 

5. How did Jesus prepare His hearers for His 
spiritual message? 


20 Evangelism 


6. Give an instance of the personal evangelism of 


Jesus. 
7. Quote instances of Jesus’ appeal to the multi- 


tude. 
8. How did Jesus arrange for His work to be con- 


tinued in His absence? 
9. Name four characteristics of the work of the 


inspired evangelists. 

10. What is the first thing to be considered in pre- 
paring to evangelize? 

11. Name seven characteristics that should be in a 
New Testament evangelist. 


II. 


THE NEED FOR NEW TESTA-. 
MENT EVANGELISM 


21 


OUTLINE STUDY II. 


I. MEANING OF NEW TESTAMENT EVANGELISM. 
1. Purpose. 
2. In Spirit—Earnest and Sincere. 
3. In Authoritative Proclamation. 
4, In Method. 
(1) Based on knowledge. 
(2) Tact and resourcefulness. 
(3) Patience. 
5. In Points of Emphasis. 
6. In Its Plan of Salvation. 
7. In Power. 
II. WHY SUCH AN EVANGELISM IS ESPECIALLY 
NEEDED NOW. 
1. Unbelief Is More Rampant than Ever. 
2. Religious Confusion Is More Pronounced than Ever. 
3. Worldliness Is More Pronounced than for a Century. 
4, Intensity and Strenuousness of Modern Life. 
5. The Halting Power of Denominationalism. 
Ill NEW TESTAMENT EVANGELISM ALONE MEETS 
THE NEEDS. 


TT: 
THe NEED FoR New TESTAMENT EVANGELISM. 


I. MEANING OF NEW TESTAMENT 
EVANGELISM 


HE need for New Testament evangelism will 

depend entirely on what is meant by the term. 
Everybody is already convinced that all the world 
needs something and needs it badly. The churches 
are rapidly coming back to the idea that the world 
needs evangelizing. The thought of tnis study is that. 
the world needs a particular kind of evangelism, 
which is here termed New Testament evangelism. 

1. Purpose. 

The purpose of New Testament evangelism is 
salvation from sin and death. Why evangelize? 
Without discussion, we eliminate mere party spirit, 
self-glory and the desire to triumph in size over other 
bodies, and proceed immediately to the New Testa- 
ment purposes. Make note that he who preaches 
only a social gospel and a social redemption, has not 
yet preached the New Testament gospel of salvation 
from sin and death. ‘‘For there is no distinction; 
for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of 
God’’ (Rom. 3:22, 23). ‘‘For the Son of man came 
to save that which was lost’? (Matt. 18:11). Jesus 


says: ‘‘All authority hath been given unto me in 
23 


24 Evangelism 


heaven and on earth. Go ye therefore, and make dis- 
ciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name 
of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: 
teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I com- 
manded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto 
the end of the world’’ (Matt. 28: 18-20). 

2. In Spirit. 

Whatever message may be preached in evangelism, 
it can hardly be said to be New Testament evangelism 
if it lacks in sincere, fervent passion for lost and 
dying men. Even the truth must be preached, not 
mouthed. Organization, technique, efficiency so called, 
ean never replace the passion for souls. Jesus loved 
men and was willing to die that men might be saved. 

3. In Authoritative Proclamation. 

New Testament evangelism is a positive proclama- 
tion of a message—God’s message—not the discussion 
of a probability. The message should be a New Testa- 
ment message, and it should be made plain that it is 
a New Testament message. He who proclaims God’s 
word as given in the New Testament can speak with 
quite as much authority and positiveness as did any 
of the prophets of old. Conviction convicts. There 
might be a vast deal of difference between proclaim- 
ing the gospel and delivering a discourse, even though 
the discourse were based on Scripture. The Master 
says teach them all things I have ‘‘commanded 
[not recommended] you.’’ 

4. In Method. 

(1) Knowledge. The New Testament method is 
teach, baptize, teach. That evangelism which is based 
on every kind of appeal, except the appeal of con- 


Evangelism 25 


viction which is in turn based on knowledge of New 
Testament truths, could hardly be said to be New 
Testament evangelism. ‘‘Ye shall know the truth, 
and the truth shall make you free’’ (John 8: 32). 

(2) Tact and resourcefulness. While Paul was 
‘determined to know nothing save Jesus Christ and 
him crucified,’’ yet he did not refrain from exercising 
both tact and resourcefulness. He said: ‘‘I am be- 
come all things to all men that I may by all means 
save some.’’ The gospel deserves to be preached by 
those who will throw every human resource behind it. 

(3) Patience. New Testament evangelism is not 
only passionately earnest, but is at the same time 
patient and persistent. ‘‘The Lord is not slack con- 
cerning his promise, as some count slackness; but is 
longsuffering to you-ward, not wishing that any 
should perish, but that all should come to repentance’’ 
(2 Pet. 3:9). 

5. In Its Points of Emphasis. 

A study of the New Testament evangelism reveals 
that the points emphasized by the New Testament 
evangelists were: The sinfulness of sin, that disobedi- 
ence is sin, the deadly nature of sin, Christ as the 
Saviour, Christ as the only Saviour, the gospel plan 
for laying hold on Christ and the necessity for food, 
exercise and growth in Christ. 

6. In the Plan of Salvation. 

The New Testament evangelists taught a clear-cut 
and divinely appointed plan of salvation. They 
hesitated not to declare the whole counsel of God. 
Any modern evangelism which teaches a part of the 
gospel for effect, and omits a part for policy, can 


26 Evangelism 


hardly be called New Testament evangelism. Men 
were taught that they must believe in Christ, repent 
of their sins toward Christ, confess their faith in 
Christ, be baptized into Christ; that His name should 
be above every name; that they who are in Christ 
are new creatures, and that it is they who serve Him 
that shall reign with Him. 

7. In Power. 

Evangelism in New Testament days was unafraid 
to attack evil and entrenched wickedness, and was 
powerful to lift men from every depth of sin. Men, 
to-day, are aware that it will take power to stem the 
tide of twentieth-century sin, indifference, carelessness, 
worldliness and godlessness. Is an evangelism like the 
above that evangelism which has in it the actual 
power to accomplish the task? Is the gospel that 
power that can meet the world’s needs and cure the 
world’s woes? If it is, the need for New Testament 
evangelism has been demonstrated beyond a _ possi- 
bility of doubt or hesitation. 


II. WHY SUCH AN EVANGELISM IS SPECIALLY 
NEEDED NOW 


A diagnosis of the world’s ills and a portrayal of 
its conditions contains an answer to what may prove 
to be the cure. There are some, claiming to be iden- 
tified with the church of Christ, who insist that the 
time has passed for the need of preaching ‘‘First 
Principles.’? We need to remember that the first of 
the ‘‘First Principles’’ is, ‘‘Faith in Jesus Christ, the 
Son of the living God.’’ 


Evangelism 27 


1. Unbelief Is More Rampant than Ever. 

Political revolution is not the only revolution, but 
revolt against Christ and every religion is openly and 
widely preached in forum, press and pamphlet. While 
we are talking New Testament evangelism, let us sub- 
mit a few samples of another evangelism that is now 
world-wide. The first sample is from a widely read 
English book. ‘‘Self-worship is the last step in the 
evolution of the conception of duty. . . . The evan- 
gelist of this last step must, therefore, preach the 
repudiation of duty. This, to the unprepared of his 
generation, is indeed the wanton masterpiece of 
paradox.”’ 

Quoting from an article in the Christian Herald, 
by Geo. H. Sandison, in which he makes liberal use 
of the literature in possession of the Department of 
Justice in Washington, and with which this country 
was being generally flooded, we give the following 
excerpt in order to raise the question as to whether 
New Testament evangelism is not now seriously 
needed. ‘‘All religions, with their gods, demigods, 
prophets, their Messiahs and their saints, are the 
creation of credulous imaginations of people who 
have not yet arrived at a full possession of their 
spiritual power.’’ 

In a manifesto to anarchists and communists is 
found this frank avowal: ‘‘We hate religion because 
it lulls the spirit with lying tales, takes away courage 
and faith in the power of men, faith in the triumph 
of justice on the real earth and not in a chimerical 
heaven. Religion covers everything with fog; real 
evil becomes visionary and visionary good a reality.’’ 


28 Evangelism 


From a report of the Lettish Executive Committee 
of the National Lettish Socialistic Organization 
(American), the writer quotes: ‘‘Religion is the opium 
of the people. It is the striving of the people for an 
imaginary happiness. It springs from a state of 
society and requires illusion’’ (Karl Marx, ‘‘Critique 
of the Philosophy of the Law’’ by Hegel). 

From ‘‘Church and School in the Soviet Republic”’ 
by M. Bakunin: ‘‘With all due respect, then, to the 
metaphysicians and religious idealists, philosophers, 
politicians or poets, the idea of God implies the ab- 
dication of human reason and justice; it is the most 
decisive (foe) of human liberty, and necessarily ends 
in the enslavement of mankind, both in theory and 
in practice.’’ 

These evangelists are preaching this gospel. They 
are sincere, and some of them are willing to die for 
the gospel which they believe and teach. Is New 
Testament evangelism needed? Should Christians — 
spare themselves when atheists are willing to become 
martyrs for their religious and political beliefs? This 
atheistic propaganda, which aims at the ultimate 
destruction of religion as well as government, is being 
widely circulated throughout the United States, and 
its appeal to the ignorant and the alien is dangerous 
in the extreme to all that is good or sacred. What 
are Christians going to do about their gospel? We 
have taken space to insert these few quotations, 
because to us they are a direct and clinching argu- 
ment for the need for the New Testament evangelism. 
Christians are challenged. Shall they meet the 
challenge? 


Evangelism 29 


2. Religious Confusion Is More Pronounced than 
Ever. 

The need for New Testament evangelism is shown 
by the columns of almost any one of our great metro- 
politan papers in their Saturday announcements. In 
consulting one paper, we found five full columns total- 
ing one hundred announcements of the Sunday meet- 
ings, aside from a full page of announcements of thea- 
ters, picture shows, ete. In the five columns of 
announcements of Sunday meetings were announce- 
ments of eighteen bona-fide and recognized churches, 
such as Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Episcopal, 
etc. There were also eighteen announcements of and 
for eighteen Christian Science churches. Spiritualistic 
churches and meetings numbered twenty-five, or one- 
fourth. The list of subjects is as follows: 

Society of Transcendent Science, People’s Forum, 
Laborite on ‘‘Exterminating the Devil’’; Rajah 
Spiritual Church of Science, ‘‘Healing and Lecture;”’ 
Mary Garden Forum, ‘‘Co-operative Commonwealth ;”’ 
Society of Applied Psychology, ‘‘Growing Young and 
Handsome;’’ Institute of Applied Psychology, ‘‘Psy- 
chology of Faith;’’ Open Forum of Applied Psychol- 
ogy, ‘‘Healing Methods;’’ Ancient Order of the Magi, 
‘‘Lecture and Demonstrations;’’ Proletarian Forum, 
‘“Mob Hypnotism;’’ Sunday Night Club, ‘‘Mind and 
Memory Training;’’ Anthropological Society, ‘‘Un- 
fulfilled Ideals,’? and Guild Hall, Demonstrations, 
“Truth about ‘Psychological Complexes’;’’ ‘‘ Disillu- 
sionment;’’ ‘‘Uses of Spiritualism;’’ ‘‘The Spiritual 
Demonstration;’’ ‘‘Shall We Teach Applied Psy- 
‘chology ?”’ 


30 Evangelism 


We have merely given the name assumed by the 
organization in each case and the subject to be dis- 
eussed. The places of meeting were among the larg- 
est halls and prominent meeting-places in a great city. 
Where is the Christ in it all? Is this not the time 
when New Testament evangelism is needed? 

3. Worldliness Is More Pronounced than for a 
Century. 

This is a matter of common observation. From 
the reaction from the World War, or some other un- 
known reason, there has been a general sweep all 
along the line to a pleasure-mad worldliness. The 
attack of the revolutionist on the bulwarks of goy- 
ernment may be serious, the attack of the religious 
revolutionist on the foundations of the church may 
be more serious, but neither has secured so many con- 
verts as have these revolutionists who have led the 
attack on the fortifications of the conventions of so- 
ciety. A general spirit of ‘‘down with the conven- 
tions’? has reached into almost every home. (Good 
breeding, good taste, good manners, gentleness and 
devotion have yielded to ‘‘jazz’’ and ‘‘flapperism’’ in 
an alarming degree. This is, perhaps, but another 
manifestation of the same thing that accounts for the 
flood of aggressive atheism and the flood of religious 
and psychologic nostrums offered to the souls of men. 
Whatever it may be, it shows a marked disrespect for 
things sacred, things good and right, things true and 
pure and safe. 

Again, if ever there has been in a century a need 
for New Testament evangelism to save homes, to save 
society, to save souls, that time is now. 


Evangelism 31 


4, Intensity and Strenuousness of Modern Life. 

The nervous, strain and the speeding up of life in 
most parts of our country have brought the need for 
New Testament evangelism. People go in a rush. 
They are slaves of the alarm-clock and the steam- 
whistle. They rush for trains and street-cars, and 
spend much of the rest of the time in speeding in au- 
tomobiles. The sound of the trip-hammer and steam- 
whistle is ever in our ears. Our eyes are ever filled 
with the glaring announcements of a thousand bids to 
do things. 

People want things simple, brief, plain, Scriptural. 
They searcely have patience to try to understand fine 
theological arguments. A plain, simple, understand- 
able gospel like that in the New Testament is needed. 
People rush hither and thither, listening to many 
theories of men, but this confusion only confuses them 
more. Convince them once that they are hearing 
what God has to say and they will listen with respect, 
unless already seriously poisoned by false presenta- 
tions of what was given them as the religion of Christ 
and the Bible. 

5. The Halting Power of Denominationalism. 

The last item we shall give as showing the positive 
need for New Testament evangelism is the halting 
power of denominationalism. The searchings and 
seekinges for plans of union, the general seeking for 
methods to retain a crowd or a hearing, are evidences 
of the failure of mixed and confusing messages. 
New Testament evangelism, in purpose, spirit, author- 
ity, method, points of emphasis, plan and power, can 


alone meet the heart hunger and soul need so apparent. 
3 


32 Evangelism 


Ill. NEW TESTAMENT EVANGELISM MEETS 
THE NEEDS 


‘““The gospel is the power of God to save men,’’ 
as it has ever been. It has successfully attacked the 
wiles of ancient infidelity, the thrones of heathen 
dominion, the confusions of human philosophies, the 
entrenchments of baecchanalian lust and sin, and the 
barriers of dense ignorance. It has no greater evils 
or obstacles to meet to-day, but it needs to be 
preached in its own natural and divine simplicity and 
power. 


TEST QUESTIONS 


1. Name eight points under which evangelism 
might be tested to see whether it is New Testament 
evangelism. 

2. What is the purpose of New Testament evan- 
gelism ? 

3. Illustrate this purpose by quotations from the 
New Testament. 

4. Mention some of the marks of the spirit of New 
Testament evangelism. 

5. What advantages has New Testament evan- 
gelism in the matter of authoritative proclamation? 

6. What are some of the characteristics of New 
Testament methods? 

7. What are the points mainly emphasized by 
New Testament evangelists?. 

8. Give five reasons for a present need for New 
Testament evangelism. 

9. Illustrate the aggressiveness of modern un- 
belief. 


Evangelism 30 


10. Give illustrations of present religious con- 
fusion. 

11. Give illustrations of modern tendency to 
worldliness. 

12. Give probable reasons for the world’s present 
demand for a message brief, plain and Scriptural. 

13. What effect should the halting power of | 
denominationalism have on the proclamation of the 
New Testament message? 

14. Show how New Testament evangelism meets 
the needs. 





Il. 


ADVANTAGES OF OUR PLEA IN. 
EVANGELISM 


85 


OUTLINE STUDY III. 


I. TERMS DEFINED. 


Li 


What We Mean by Advantages, 


2. Our Plea Defined. 


3. 


(1) What it is not. 
(2) What our plea is. 
What We Mean by Evangelism. 


II ADVANTAGES ENUMERATED. 


Le 


O35 


5. 
6. 


7. 


8. 


Advantage of Its Divine Authority. 
(1) It commands the hearing of men. 
(2) It commands the respect of men. 


. Advantage of Its Simplicity. 


(1) Everybody can understand it. 
(2) Everybody can believe it. 

(3) Everybody can obcy it. 

(4) Every Christian can teach it. 


. It Requires No Apologetics. 
4, 


Its Symbolism Perfectly Pictures the Foundation Facts 
of the Gospel. 

Its Terminology Calls Attention to Its Central Truths. 

Its Basic truths Are All but Universally Admitted by All 
Christian Scholars. 

It Is a Practical Solution of a Universally Admitted 
Need. 

The Fact that What Is Called ‘‘Our Plea’’ Is Not Our 
Plea at All, but the Holy Spirit’s Plea. 


III. ADVANTAGES BRING RESPONSIBILITIES. 


36 


Ii. 
ADVANTAGES OF Our PLEA IN EVANGELISM. 


I. TERMS DEFINED. 


HIS is not an attempt to give a lengthy disserta- 

tion on the plea, but to point out clearly the 
tremendous advantages which the plea has in win- 
ning the unsaved. 

1. Meaning of Advantages. 

By advantages we mean that the plea contains 
those elements and principles by which it is easier to 
reach and win people, and more people, than aly 
other plea can reach and win. 

For example, Catholicism may have the advantage 
of what is called authority of the clergy, which has 
a certain effect and influence over many people, but 
over against that we set the all authority of Christ. 
Certain other peoples may have stressed the advan- 
tages of beauty and dignity, but is there, or can there 
be, anything more stately, dignified and beautiful 
than the simple plea of Christ and the apostles? If 
these advantages exist, are we, as a people, guiltless 
if we overlook or fail to use them to the glory of 
Christ and the saving of souls? 

2. Meaning of Our Plea. 

(1) What it is not. Perhaps it will be clearer if 


first we state a few things that it is not. (a) Our 
37 


38 Evangelism 


plea is not a plea for immersion. If that were so, then 
we should frankly call ourselves Baptists. We have 
lost much by allowing this erroneous notion to persist. 
(b) Our plea is not a plea for the name. Beautiful 
and sacred as is the divine name, and much as it has 
been obscured by other names, and much as it needs 
to be put above every name, yet that is not our plea. 
(c) Our plea is not Christian union. Much confusion 
has arisen lately along this line. We have succeeded 
in arousing a desire for union until the clamor for 
union of some kind or any kind has almost sacrificed 
the very foundations on which any lasting and divine 
union can and must be builded. 

(2) What it is. Our plea is a plea for the absolute 
Lordship of Jesus Christ as head over all things per- 
taining to the church, and hence carries with it, as 
indispensables, the divine authority and inspiration 
and all-sufficiency of the Scriptures. 

It naturally, therefore, carries with it, and can 
not be separated from: 

a. The plea for the New Testament as the only 
rule of faith and practice, plus nothing and minus 
nothing, because sufficient in itself to thoroughly 
furnish the man of God unto all good works. 

b. Divine and Bible names for divine things. 

e. Bible baptism in design and administration 
as the Christian baptism. 

d. The observance of the Lord’s Supper on the 
Lord’s Day as the central feature of the worship, 
fittingly showing the world our Lord’s resurrection 
on the resurrection day. 


Evangelism 39 


e. A constant plea for the union of God’s people 
in Christ and on Christ, that His purpose and prayer 
may be fulfilled, and that the world may be won to 
Him. 

What we ordinarily term ‘‘Our Plea’’ could, 
therefore, much more fittingly be referred to as 
‘“‘The Divine Plea,’’ or ‘‘The Christian Plea.’’ 

3. Meaning of Evangelism. 

By evangelism we do not mean merely the conduct 
of revival or protracted meetings. We do not mean 
alone the work done by professional evangelists. 
By evangelism we do mean the use of the word of 
God by as nearly as possible every Christian to win 
to Christ as nearly as possible every one who is un- 
saved. The thought needs to be restored and re- 
emphasized that every minister of the gospel is an 
evangelist first of all, and that, second of all, every 
Christian is capable of being, and, therefore, ought to 
be, a winner of souls for Christ. 


Il. ADVANTAGES ENUMERATED 


1. Advantages of Its Divine Authority. 

The first outstanding advantage is the fact that he 
who preaches the New Testament plea can speak as 
one having authority. He can frankly say: ‘‘Fellow- 
men, I come to present, not what I think or some one 
else thinks, but what God says.’’ 

(1) It commands the hearing of men. In this day 
of intense competition for the time and attention of 
men operating at twentieth-century speed, with ears 
filled with the sound of the steam whistle and the 
trip hammer, it takes something more than the mes- 


40) Evangelism 


sage of a man to attract the attention of most men. 
Most men are willing to listen to God, hence the ad- 
vantage of proclaiming only the word of God, and 
proclaiming it as the word of God. 

(2) It commands the respect of men. Positive 
teaching is convincing teaching, especially if backed 
by unquestioned authority. The preacher and teacher 
of the word of God should keep in mind that he ean 
speak with exactly as much authority as did the 
prophets of old. They were guided directly by the 
Holy Spirit. We are guided quite as specifically by 
the same Spirit through His written word. Keeping 
this in mind will add much to the positiveness of 
preaching, and, therefore, its convincing qualities. 
The one warning here is to be absolutely sure to 
preach the Word, and not opinions and interpreta- 
tions of it. 

2. Advantages of the Simplicity of the Plea. 

(1) Everybody can understand it. When a God- 
given answer is given to the question, ‘‘What shall I 
do to be saved?’’ the terms are simple enough that a 
‘‘wayfaring man’’ can understand. People who are 
out of Christ are, for most part, very simple in their 
knowledge of divine things, even though they may 
be learned in other things. <A clear-cut, specific, 
divine instruction as to what to do would have 
reached many a soul that has agonized long and 
finally despaired. ‘‘Peter said unto them, Repent 
ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name 
of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and 
ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit’’ (Acts 
2:38). 


Evangelism 41 


(2) Everybody can believe it. God’s system of 
salvation avoids the impossibilities of belief that are 
involved in many of the theological systems. A man 
is asked to believe with his whole heart in a per- 
sonality in whom no one has ever found one flaw. 
Men may stumble over our theologies, but when they 
are made to know Christ they can not help but — 
believe in Him. This very simplicity as couched in 
the good confession is one of the great advantages 
in the plea. 

(3) Everybody can obey it. Obedience involves 
doing something. In order to do something one must 
know what it is that is to be done. The very definite- 
ness of the answer given to ‘‘What shall I do to be 
saved?’’ is a great advantage in enabling men to make 
up their minds to act. Some have intimated that our 
insistence on Scriptural terms of admission into the 
church has put fences about the church of Christ and 
made it difficult to get in. This is simply untrue. 
First, we have made no additions nor conditions. 
Second, there is, and always has been, a perfectly 
easy way for men to get into a church of Christ. 
Any one who wants to get in ean easily do so. Every 
one can obey. ‘‘He that will, let him take of the 
water of life freely’’ (Rev. 22:17). 

(4) Every Christian can teach it. The world will 
never be won to Christ until more Christians are soul- 
winners. One advantage of the plea is that an ordi- 
nary soul can teach it plainly and effectively. It does 
not require a doctor of philosophy nor a profound 
theologian to teach the way of life as given in the 
New Testament. In New Testament times ‘‘they 


42 Evangelism 


therefore that were scattered abroad went about 
preaching the word’’ (Acts 8:4). 

3. It Requires No Apologetics. 

A plea that answers Scriptural problems in 
strictly Scriptural language, and is able to give a 
‘“‘thus saith the Lord’’ for any required act, has the 
advantage of avoiding the necessity for much ex- 
plaining. 

For example, a baptism that follows the Scripture 
description of a burial and a resurrection, avoids 
much explaining that would be involved if anything 
else were practiced. Its adherence to Scriptural 
names for Scriptural things avoids the necessity for 
apologetics. Its avoidance of extra-Scriptural prac- 
tices is an advantage of the same order. 

All the best scholarship, both Catholic and Prot- 
estant, gives the meaning of baptidzo as ‘‘dip, plunge 
or immerse.’’ Therefore, the plea, as preached, avoids 
the need for any apology to scholarship. 

4. Its Symbolism Perfectly Pictures the Founda- 
tion Facts of the Gospel. 

By symbolism we, of course, refer to immersion 
and the Lord’s Supper. These two tell the story of, 
or picture, Christ’s death, burial and resurrection. 

For example, if I would have one know, by means 
of a picture, what I look like, I must send a picture 
of myself, and not of some one or something else. If 
we would picture Christ’s burial and resurrection, 
then it is His burial and resurrection that we must 
picture. 

Baptism is a symbol of our own burial and resur- 
rection. Burial to the old life, out of Christ, and 


Evangelism 43 


resurrection to the new life in Christ; burial to the 
old life without promise, and resurrection to the new 
life with all God’s promises; burial to the old life, 
unforgiven, and resurrection to the new life, forgiven, 
redeemed; burial to the old life out of the kingdom, 
and resurrection to the new life in the kingdom; 
burial to the old life of disobedience and sin, and 
resurrection to the new life of obedience and service; 
burial to the old life with death as its end and the 
grave as its goal, and resurrection to the new life 
with eternal life as its reward and heaven as its goal. 

Truly, if we teach the Scriptural import of 
baptism, then does the symbolism of immersion have 
a great advantage indeed, for it alone pictures these 
things. Not only the teaching of immersion, but the 
proper and impressive performing of immersion, has 
a very great evangelistic advantage. ‘‘We were 
buried therefore with him through baptism into 
death: that like as Christ was raised from the dead 
through the glory of the Father, so we also might 
walk in newness of life’’ (Rom. 6:4). 

5. Its Terminology Calls Attention to Its Central 
Truths. 

When Christians are called ‘‘Christians’’ and the 
church of Christ is continually referred to as ‘‘The 
Chureh of Christ,’? much confusion will have been 
eliminated. ‘‘The disciples were called Christians 
first in Antioch’’ (Acts 11:26). The term ‘‘Christian”’ 
concisely and briefly tells all that is to be told, puts 
the emphasis where it should be, adds nothing and 
leaves out nothing. The term, ‘‘Chureh of Christ,’’ 
leaves nothing to be guessed or explained, tells all 


44 Evangelism 


there is to be told, adds nothing, leaves out nothing. 
It places Christ’s ‘‘name above every name,’’ and 
ealls attention to Him who is the only Saviour. It 
places the emphasis where it belongs, and, by the very 
use of the terms, helps to eliminate some of the con- 
fusion due to the many names and many ways. This, 
again, is an advantage in winning the unsaved. 

6. Its Basic Terms Are All but Universally Ad- 
mitted to Be True by All Christian Scholars. 

(1) Immersion. Immersion is unquestioned by all 
as to the validity of its form. It has, therefore, a 
great advantage from the fact that it is universally 
accepted. 

(2) The name. The terms ‘‘Christian’’ and 
‘Church of Christ’’ are already in general use by all, 
and are accepted by all as of unquestioned correctness. 
The name constitutes an acceptable and satisfying 
appeal, so far as name is concerned. 

(3) Terms of pardon. The simple terms of par- 
don—faith, repentance, confession, baptism and the 
righteous life—are all admitted by all as at least 
essential steps, and, by most, as absolutely and un- 
questionably necessary steps. 

(4) The final appeal. The Bible as the only final 
appeal in matters of faith and order is already ad- 
mitted by all Protestantism, and, therefore, our con- 
stant appeal for the Bible, and the Bible alone, has 
an advantage in winning men. 

7. It Is a Practical Solution of a Universally Ad- 
mitted Need. 

The need for union of Christ’s followers has now 
come to be almost universally recognized. The man 


Evangelism 45 


of the world also keenly recognizes this need, and 
when shown that by becoming a ‘‘Christian only,’’ 
and taking the ‘‘Bible only as his rule of faith and 
practice,’’ he is helping to build the only practical 
and final foundation on which all Christians can 
unite, the appeal to him is all the stronger. Here is 
again another advantage in the plea that ought not to 
be overlooked. 

The fact that this appeal also fits so plainly with 
the prayer of Christ in the seventeenth chapter of 
John, and with the pleadings of Paul in First Corin- 
thians (1 Cor. 1: 10-138), again makes a strong appeal. 

8. The Fact that What Is Called ‘‘Our Plea’’ Is 
Not Our Plea after All, but Is the Holy Spirit’s Plea. 
Is Its Final and Crowning Advantage. 

With no word to offer but ‘‘the word of God,’’ 
with no requirements made but the Bible conditions 
of salvation, with no church to offer but the ‘‘church 
of Christ,’’ with no name to offer but the name 
**Christian,’’ with no book of rules and discipline to 
offer or require but the New Testament, plus nothing, 
minus nothing, with the minister ‘‘speaking as the 
oracles of God speak,’’ and in the language of the 
Book, there is an advantage that becomes irresistible. 


iI. ADVANTAGES BRING RESPONSIBILITIES 


These advantages that the Lord has provided for 
the saving of men, we have no right to hamper, ob- 
secure or conceal. Without taking credit to ourselves, 
we ought to win more souls for Christ than those who 
work hampered by disadvantages. Having these ad- 
vantages, we can not be held guiltless if we fail to 


46 Evangelism 


make them count to the glory of the Lord and the 
saving of lost men. ‘‘But though we, or an angel 
from heaven, should preach unto you any gospel other 
than that which we preached unto you, let him be 
anathema’’ (Gal. 1:8). 


TEST QUESTIONS 


1. Define and illustrate the meaning of advantages 
of our plea. 

2. Give a succinct definition of our plea. 

3. Name some things frequently thought of as 
our plea which are only incidental to it. 

4. Name five necessary consequents of the plea. 

5. Define evangelism. 

6. Name eight evangelistic advantages in the plea. 

7. Name two advantages of the divine authority 
of the plea. 

8. Name four advantages in its simplicity. 

9. Why does the plea require no apologetics? 

10. Illustrate how its symbolism perfectly pictures 
its foundation facts. 

11. Name some of its basic terms that are already 
universally admitted. 

12. Why is it the only practical solution of the 
problem of Christian union? 

13. How does this plea add to our personal re- 
sponsibility ? 


IV. 


COLLEGE TRAINING FOR EVAN- 
GELISM | 


AT 


OUTLINE STUDY IV. 


I. INTRODUCTION. 
1. Purpose. 
2. Scope. 
3. Terms Defined. 
II. GENERAL EDUCATION. 
1. Its Value. 
2. Its Marks. 
3. Its Limitations. 
III. SPECIAL TRAINING FOR EVANGELISM. 
1. Intellectual. 
(1) A thorough knowledge of the word of God. 
(2) Other intellectual subjects. 
(3) Courses fitting the task. 
2. Spiritual. 
(1) A warm heart. 
(2) Reverence. 
(3) True piety. 
3. Practical. 
(1) A field undeveloped. 
(2) Reasons for the difficulty. 
(3) Special training for a peculiar task. 


48 


TV. 
CoLLEGE TRAINING FOR EVANGELISM. 


I. INTRODUCTION 

1. Purpose. 

While it will be entirely impossible to go deeply 
into the subject in this brief chapter, perhaps, at 
least, it may follow the purpose of calling attention 
to the need, and helping to arouse an insistent de- 
mand for courses in Bible colleges that shall be de- 
signed to specifically fit the preacher of the Word 
for the peculiar and special tasks involved in his 
special work. 

2. Scope. 

In our use of the word ‘‘evangelist’’ we do not 
mean metfely the professional, traveling evangelist, 
but we do mean the preacher of the word of God who 
preaches it with the sincere purpose of bringing the 
unsaved to a knowledge of, and obedience to, Christ, 
and building them up in the kingdom of Christ. In 
this sense every minister is an evangelist, for the first 
and primary work of every minister is to preach the 
word of God. All the many other and quite neces- 
sary tasks are simply necessary or essential incidents 
to his main task. 

We make no attempt to try to cover the subject 


of the abilities, training and culture of those whose 
49 


50) Evangelism 


education and training may have had to be obtained 
outside of the Bible college entirely, but shall confine 
the study to a discussion of the training for evan- 
gelism of those fortunate enough to be able to avail 
themselves of college and university education. 

3. Terms Defined. 

We here shall use the term ‘‘college’’ in the or- 
dinary sense of an institution of higher learning, and 
disregard the distinctions as between college and 
university. 

We wish to distinguish between education and 
training. A man might be educated in many things 
and trained in nothing. There were educated and 
uneducated men in the United States Army in the 
World War, but all had to be trained for the tasks 
they were to perform. 


II. GENERAL EDUCATION 


By general education we, of course, mean such an 
education as might be represented by the four-year 
course in science and art. 

1, Its Value. 

One would have to study but very briefly the 
statistics to be convinced that, while only a small 
minority of the people ever graduate in college, or 
even attend college, yet by far the predominating 
majority of those who succeed in life, in its various 
lines, is made up from that minority that attend col- 
lege. There are exceptions, but the exceptions are far 
too few to disprove the rule that a college education 
increases by many times the probability of worth- 
while success in life’s chosen work. 


Evangelism 51 


Unquestionably, a mind trained by only a general 
education is much better equipped to meet and solve 
the specific problems that will be met in the various 
walks of life. Further on, however, we call attention 
to the need for an education, which may be quite as 
valuable for general mind-sharpening, and much more 
valuable in preparation for a special and chosen. 
walk in life. 

2. Its Marks. 

Standards, credits, degrees, hours spent, have 
been so insistently emphasized in late years that a 
degree of educational snobbishness has developed that 
has been neither a help nor a credit to real education. 
Real education humbles a man rather than puffs him 
up. No man ean, or does, know all there is to know. 
The most any man can accomplish is to become some- 
what familiar with the size of the field of the un- 
known. The man who really sees the vast fields of 
knowledge, the explored and the unexplored, the 
natural and the supernatural, is humbled rather than 
puffed up thereby. He is deeply impressed with the 
wisdom and goodness of the almighty God and Crea- 
tor, rather than with the vastness of his own learning 
or the authoritative wisdom represented by his degree. 

Degrees, therefore, are not the only marks of a 
really educated man. They may have their value, 
but like gold, when sought as an end and used as a 
standard of measurement, may really cheapen the 
man. 

3. Its Limitations. 

Merely a general education, with all its advantages, 
has its limitations. We recognize this in the special 


a2 Evangelism 


education we give to doctors, surgeons, dentists, en- 
gineers both civil and mechanical, etc. Suppose the 
doctor who is to operate upon you to-morrow had 
never even performed a dissection! 

Why should preaching the gospel be practically 
the only skilled profession that depends on merely a 
general education? .This is true, even though the 
minister takes a postgraduate degree in the ordinary 
university. He has simply taken more philosophy, 
more psychology, or more science. The special tasks 
of his profession have scarcely, if ever, been touched. 


Ill. SPECIAL TRAINING FOR EVANGELISM 


1. Intellectual. 

Education for evangelism should consist of special 
training, intellectual, spiritual and practical. Much 
has been made of the intellectual, something of the 
spiritual, and almost nothing of the practical. The 
intellectual counts if: 

(1) A thorough knowledge of the Bible. In the 
intellectual training of the preacher of the Word, 
shall the actual knowledge of the Bible be over- 
shadowed by masses of modern theories, philosophies, 
comparative religions, human theologies and sociolo- 
gies? 

Regardless of standards, or who shall make or 
impose them, he who would preach the word of the 
living God should insist that his education include, 
not only a comprehensive, but a thorough, knowledge 
of the Word itself. In this we do not have in mind 
merely a knowledge of the opinions and interpreta- 
tions of the Word, for many of these a preacher of 


Evangelism a0 


the Word ean afford to forego, but to be thoroughly 
saturated in the spirit and message in the Word, 
must he one of the requirements counted an essential. 
For mind training and literary culture there is noth- 
ing superior to such a study of the Bible. 

(2) Other intellectual subjects. In the study of 
mathematics and science, there is no reasonable ex- 
cuse for inculeating an infidel viewpoint. The amaz- 
ing works of God and the astounding laws of God, 
revealed in mathematics and science, can be as easily 
made to teach faith as to teach unbelief. The direc- 
tion which the influence of these subjects will take is 
determined almost entirely by the viewpoint and atti- 
tude of the teacher. 

He who teaches geometry can, in the first two 
lessons, show that practically all the higher mathe- 
matics of the universe rests with its foundations on 
the principles developed in geometry. He can further 
show that every theorem and every conclusion devel- 
oped in geometry rest and depend on the few be- 
ginning axioms which no one can prove or has ever 
tried to prove. In other words, the exact and wonder- 
ful proofs of geometry, and hence all mathematics, 
all rest on a beginning foundation of faith. The 
teaching of science can and should be made to reveal 
the author of the laws of science. 

(3) Courses fitting the task. While the preacher’s 
knowledge should be as wide and general as is possi- 
ble, since he will have need to draw from the wells of 
literature, history, science and all culture, yet since 
no one man can know all things, it were better that 
the minister’s preliminary intellectual training should 


54 Evangelism 


have a large proportion of that which will meet his 
immediate needs. A vastly wider acquaintance with 
good and wholesome American literature, and a 
thorough training in the accurate and forceful use of 
the English language, would be quite as cultural, and 
vastly more helpful to preaching, than a liberal educa- 
tion in the writings of Kant and Hegel. 

2. Spiritual. 

(1) A warm heart. To be an evangelist, one must 
have his spirit warmed, not chilled. A cynical, chilly 
piety will never fire the souls of men, nor kindle a 
heat that will thaw out their indifference. The philos- 
ophy of conversion has converted few people; the gos- 
pel preached has converted many. <An erudite author- 
ity has not an impact on the souls of men that can 
compare with the warm and throbbing heart of the 
herald of a passion. 

(2) Reverence. An actual and sincere reverence 
for the almighty God and His word yet has its old- 
time spiritual value. We here raise the question 
whether the modern teaching of so-called advanced 
learning, and the so-called ‘‘scientifie viewpoint,”’ 
has been as conducive to solid and high ethical 
standards—standards of sympathy, kindness, trust, 
sacrifice, love and reverence—as would have been a 
more generous teaching of the plain word of God, 
and somewhat less of the teaching of these other 
things. 

(3) True piety. True piety is a natural conse- 
quence of more or less fixed prerequisites. Knowledge 
of, and respect and reverence for, the true, the good, 
the sacred, are these prerequisites. Here lies the 


Evangelism 55 


teacher’s opportunity every day, and in every class, 
to eultivate true spirituality. 

True piety can not be easily assumed, and an 
assumed piety lacks the essential grace of sincerity, 
in which case it partakes rather more of the nature 
of a camouflage. Prayer is one, but only one, of the 
marks of real piety. It may be quite as truly mani- 
fested by personal sacrifice or the willingness to per- 
form the obscure, unheralded and unpleasant service 
for a righteous cause, as by prayer.. Even earnest 
strivings for the sake of truth and principle may evi- 
dence a piety both sincere and deep seated. ‘‘Con- 
tend earnestly for the faith’’ (Jude 1:8). 

3. Practical. 

(1) Undeveloped field. In the matter of practical 
training for evangelism, whether professional evan- 
gelism, pastoral evangelism, or personal evangelism, 
almost the whole fabric has to be builded from the 
sround up. Should we ask any one of our ministers 
the following questions, it would reveal the lack: 
‘Where, in any college, did you get any specific train- 
ing and studying for evangelizing?’’ ‘‘If you have 
held meetings, where did you learn all the things you 
know about such work?’’ The answer would be that 
practically everything known of this work was 
learned by observing and studying our evangelists, 
or by hard personal experience and trying labors. 

Where shall the future minister learn of the psy- 
chology of crowds; how to do personal work or per- 
sonal evangelizing; how to perform a New Testament 
baptism properly and impressively; preach a funeral; 
perform a wedding ceremony; conduct a communion 


56 Evangelism 


service so that its spiritual message may grip the 
people; plant a church; organize a church; organize, 
train and drill the church in evangelism, or conduct 
an effective invitation? 

(2) Reason for the difficulty. Why has it been im- 
possible for our colleges to place in their courses 
only a minimum of such practical work? The answer 
is both plain and frank. Our colleges are looked upon, 
not as training-grounds for the practical ministry, but 
as training-grounds for the university and _ post- 
oraduate work, with the presumption that the special 
training will thus be received. The standards that 
thus must be followed are made rather for the eol- 
leges by those outside of and above the colleges, and 
are shaped, as they must be, with this end in view. 
The purpose of this chapter is to place the question 
squarely before us, whether we should not make an 
insistent demand that by some means the cultural 
value of practical training should be recognized and 
given recognition and credit. This would relieve our 
colleges of an embarrassing situation. They are now 
between the pressure of demand for courses that will 
be ‘‘recognized,’’ and a rising demand for courses 
that may train our ministers for the practical tasks. 

(3) Special training for a peculiar task. The 
first and peculiar task of a New Testament people is 
to evangelize the unsaved. If we have any justifica- 
tion for existence, it can be based alone on the recog- 
nition of the fact that the word of God is God’s 
means of accomplishing this first task of the church. 

Our special education should, therefore, be shaped 
to equip men for this peculiar task. Perhaps there 


Evangelism a7 


are lines in which we can not hope to compete, but, if 
we will, we can excel in equipping men to be stal- 
wart proclaimers of the word of the Almighty. Shall 
our colleges not make it their outstanding specialty 
to equip men for this particular task? 


TEST QUESTIONS 


. What is the general purpose of this lesson? 

. Define the scope of the lesson. 

. Distinguish between education and training. 
What is meant by a general education? 

. Give some of the advantages of a general educa- 


OH Go bo 


tion. 

6. What are some of the marks of a real educa- 
tion? 

7. What are some of the limitations of a general 
education? 

8. Mention the three general heads under which 
training for evangelism will naturally fall. 

9. Why should the Bible be a prominent feature 
in the intellectual training of an evangelist? 

10. Is the teaching of science and mathematics 
naturally inimical to faith in God, Christ and the 
Bible? Wherein does the danger lie? 

11. What intellectual courses might be most prac- 
tically helpful? 

12. Name three requisites in spiritual training for 
evangelism. 

13. Why is a heart of passion an essential? 

14. Discuss the value of reverence. 

15. Is piety natural or cultivated? If cultivated, 
how cultivated ? 


58 Evangelism 


16. Name some of the practical tasks of the min- 
istry for which special training should be given. 

17. Why has it been difficult to include these 
courses in curricula? 

18. In what way might our colleges become lead- 
ing specialists? 


V. 


EVANGELISM IN THE BIBLE 
SCHOOL 


OUTLINE STUDY V. 


I. EVANGELISM’S CHIEF FIELD. 
1. The Opportunity. 
2. Aim. 
3. The Purpose of Every Bible Class. 
4. The Essentials. 
(1) Faith. 
(2) Co-operation. 
(3) Prayer. 
II, PLACING THE RESPONSIBILITY. 
1. The Minister. 
2. The Superintendent. 
3. The Teacher. 
4. The Parents. 
III. PLANS FOR BIBLE-SCHOOL EVANGELISM. 
1. Educational Evangelism. 
2. Personal Evangelism. 
3. Invitation in the Bible School. 
4, Decision Day. 
(1) The Time. 
(2) Preparing for Decision Day. 
. Follow-up Work. 


on 


60 


V. 
EVANGELISM IN THE BIBLE SCHOOL. 


I. EVANGELISM’S CHIEF FIELD 


1. The Opportunity. 

The richest and most fruitful field for evangelism 
is in the Bible school. If every Christian in the Bible 
school clearly sees the opportunity, and faithfully does 
the work of evangelism, the church will have little 
to fear about the wastage of its life. Indeed, if the 
school is awake to its opportunity with an intelligent 
evangelistic program, it will make the early ages a 
period of careful preparation, so that when the proper 
age is reached, there will be little difficulty in winning 
every boy and girl to Christ. They would be pre- 
pared to make a definite decision for Christ, and 
would expect to do so if they had the opportunity. 

One of our most successful ministers gives the fol- 
‘lowing testimony: ‘‘In reviewing my ministry in vari- 
ous churches, extending over a period of eighteen 
years, | am amazed to find how large a proportion of 
those whom I have received into the church have been 
pupils in the Bible school. I do not exaggerate when 
I say that, of those coming into the church by con- 
fession of faith, 85 per cent. have been under twenty- 


five years of age, and, of these, 95 per cent. have come 
61 


62 Evangelism 


out of the Bible school. That is to say, of all I have 
received, 85 per cent. have been Bible-school scholars.’’ 
The proportion will not differ in most churches. Is it 
not a fact, and does it not tell us that here is the 
golden opportunity for every Christian? Nothing has 
ever been devised to take the place of the Bible school 
in reaching people. It is our recruiting-station, and 
offers the most promising field for every Christian 
evangelist. 

2. The Aim. 

To bring the members at the earliest possible 
moment to the Christ, and to train them for happy and 
fruitful service, is the aim of evangelism in the Bible 
school. Mr. Trumbull writes: ‘‘The function of the 
Sunday school is to grow souls, possessed by Christ’s 
passion, to win souls. It should be keyed to the pur- 
pose of giving the gospel to every creature.’’ To 
save the unsaved is the bounden duty of the Bible 
school, just as much its duty and work as to teach the 
Book. 

3. The Purpose of Every Bible Class. 

The mission of the Bible class is the saving of 
souls. That is its true mission. It is the supreme 
mission of the Bible class. That should be its greatest 
thought. The moment any Bible class admits a song- 
leader who does not sing to save souls, the moment 
a Bible class selects a president who does not work to 
save souls, the moment a Bible class selects a teacher 
who does not teach to save souls, the moment a 
Bible class gives a social or entertainment of any 
kind not for the purpose of saving souls, it ceases in 
so much to fulfill the magnificent mission for which 


Kvangelism 63 


it was created. Every concert, every special-day pro- 
eram, every song service, every agency used in the 
Bible class, must have the great mission plainly 
before its eyes. We are here to save the souls of 
men; we are here for no other purpose, and, the mis- 
sion of the Bible class being so clear, that is the only 
test of a real Bible class. 

4, Essentials. 

Our Bible schools need to catch the vision of the 
importance of the task in making Jesus Christ loved, 
accepted, and followed by every member of the 
school. There are some essentials for us to remember 
in the work of Bible-school evangelism. 

(1) Faith. We can do nothing without faith. By 
faith we please God, and ‘‘without faith it is impossi- 
ble to be well-pleasing unto him; for he that cometh 
to God must believe that he is, and that he is a re- 
warder of them that seek after him’’ (Heb. 11:6). 
We must expect God to honor His holy word and give 
us the desire of our heart. 

(2) Co-operation. There must be the closest co- 
operation in this work of evangelism. There must be 
no division of the forces. An evangelistic spirit 
should always prevail in every department of the 
Bible school. 

(3) Prayer. To produce a real evangelistic atmos- 
phere in the Bible school, the spirit of prayer must 
take possession of the men and women. Each must 
know that he is not a lone intercessor, but that there 
are a group of the school officers and workers pray- 
ing together for one thing and conscious of the divine 


presence. 
5 


64 Evangelism 


‘‘Hor where two or three are gathered together in 
my name, there am I in the midst of them’’ (Matt. 
18:20). 


II. PLACING THE RESPONSIBILITY 


The responsibility of evangelism in the Bible 
school does not rest with any one person, but with 
all Christians. Here it is very easy to pass the re- 
sponsibility along. The minister passes it to the 
superintendent, and says that the school is his special 
work and he ought to be responsible for its evan- 
gelism. The superintendent passes it on to the teach- 
ers, and says that he does not come into personal re- 
lation with the pupils, but the teachers do, and, as 
this is a personal matter, the responsibility rests with 
the teachers. The teachers, in turn, pass it on to the 
parents, and say that if the parents did their duty in 
the religious training of their children, there would 
be no need of this work at all; therefore, the re- 
sponsibility rests with the parents. The parents then 
pass it on to the minister, and say: ‘‘That is what our 
minister is paid to do; if he fails to do it, the fault 
is his, not ours.’’ And so the circle moves round and 
round, each one passing the responsibility along to 
some one else. The result of this passing responsi- 
bility is that the work of evangelism does not get 
done at all. In Christ’s program of evangelism every 
Christian is responsible, each in his own way and to 
the extent of his ability and opportunity. 

1. The Minister’s Responsibility. 

The minister has a responsibility because he has 
an opportunity. The Bible school is a very important 


Evangelism 65 


part of his church, and nothing will excuse him from 
neglecting this evangelistic field. The excuse that he 
has not the time and strength for this work is not 
more valid than if a man should say that his business 
is so great that he must neglect his family. It is the 
writer’s candid opinion that, if the minister has no 
time for the Bible school, he does not deserve to have 
one. No preacher needs to feel complimented on his 
wonderful preaching or any great achievement, if the 
salvation of his own Bible-school scholars is neglected. 

The wide-awake minister is as active in serving the 
Bible school as he is the other interests of the church. 
His visitation roll contains the names of the homes of 
the school as well as the church. In his round of 
visiting, he will be alert and catch any information 
which may be used effectively by his workers. He 
will keep a prospective list of the Bible-school mem- 
bers who are old enough to confess Christ. He will 
also be on the lookout for new prospects and for new 
workers. If the pastor thus carries evangelism on 
his heart, he will do much toward stimulating evan- 
eelistic zeal in his church and school. And the min- 
ister who bears evangelism on his heart will find oppor- 
tunities, by public prayer, in the mid-week service, in 
teachers’ meetings and in personal conversation, to 
magnify evangelism. 

2. The Superintendent’s Responsibility. 

The superintendent holds a position that is scarcely 
less responsible than the minister’s, with whom he 
should work in closest co-operation. His influence 
for evangelistic results is unlimited. He stands at 
the head of the school, and, by his spirit, purpose and 


66 Evangelism 


plans, he can practically mold the Bible-school’s 
evangelistic program. His personal touch with teacher 
and scholar, his unbounded enthusiasm for Christ, his 
passion for souls, these form the atmosphere that con- 
trols the school. His zeal for personal evangelism is 
essential for the promotion of continuous decisions 
and for the best work on Decision Day. The superin- 
tendent who gives up his life to the business of soul- 
winning will aim to inspire all of his members with a 
desire to bring souls to Christ, and to teach his work- 
ers how to be effective personal evangelists. 

3. The Teacher’s Responsibility. 

The real teacher makes it his supreme business to 
lead his pupils to Christ. He will see to it that all 
the influences, conscious or unconscious, that go out 
from him to them shall be influences for Christ. He 
will not be satisfied until he leads them all to Christ, 
not only as their Saviour and Master, but also as 
their leader and pattern. Some teachers have been 
very successful in reaching every member of the class 
for Christ. 

If the teacher thus lays upon his heart the burden 
of each unsaved soul in his class, he will realize, as 
never before, that his aim, passion, purpose and effort 
should be personal evangelism. 

4. The Parents’ Responsibility. 

Parents, most of all, have the greatest oppor- 
tunities to teach the Bible to their children and to 
bring them up in the Christian life. There is one 
thing that Christian parents can do to help promote 
evangelism in the Bible school, and that is, have 
family worship. 


Evangelism 67 


It may be difficult in many cases, on account of 
the fact that it is almost impossible to get all the 
family together at one time, but if they could only 
have family worship once a week, it would be far 
better than not to have it at all. Family worship can 
be greatly simplified, if you make it a part of the 
morning or evening meal. Make it short and devo- 
tional. It would only add five minutes to the length 
of the meal. That would keep the subject of Chris- 
tianity always before the family. Parents should 
always remember that the home is the best place to 
teach and to live the Christian life. 


III. PLANS FOR BIBLE-SCHOOL EVANGELISM 


If a true spirit of evangelism exists in the Bible 
school, the plans by which the members are brought 
to Christ will take care of themselves. For this rea- 
son, while certain plans are indicated in this study, 
they are not insisted upon. The principal thing is 
to bring every individual in the school face to face 
with the living Christ. 

1. Educational Evangelism. 

Kdueational evangelism is so teaching the simple 
gospel that the pupils in the Bible school, who are 
taught, shall make the proper decision for Christ and 
His church. 

The foundation is the Bible, taught so that it is 
understood. The aim should be to assemble the truth 
so that it shall meet the need of the pupil at each 
stage of his progress. 

When the school is departmental it will be possi- 
ble to build the program for each Sunday, so as to 


68 Evangelism 


be within the range of the scholar’s understanding 
and enable him to appropriate it for his own use. 
Educational evangelism is of the highest value in 
making the Christian life so understood and winsome 
that decisions for Christ will be easily made. 

2. Personal Evangelism. 

Many people have a mistaken idea of personal 
evangelism in the Bible school. They think it means 
working with a member of the school during the in- 
vitation at the close of an evangelistic appeal to lead 
that person to a definite decision for Christ. This 
plan is used with success by many evangelists and 
ministers, but personal evangelism is something far 
ereater and better. 

Personal evangelism means the winning of an in- 
dividual to Christ by personal effort of another. Per- 
sonal evangelism is the basis of any plan for the 
evangelism of the Bible school. It is the personal 
example, teaching and encouragement of parents and 
teachers that will lead many to accept Christ. 

Others in the Bible school, besides the minister and 
teachers, should do personal work. In every school 
there should be an increasing number who are trained 
to do this work and will do it. Young people, and 
even boys and girls, should be taught how to win 
others to Christ. 

Jesus was a personal worker. He used His lunch- 
hour, and said unto the Samaritan woman: ‘‘Every 
one that drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 
but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give 
him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give 
him shall become in him a well of water springing 


Evangelism 69 


up unto eternal life. The woman saith unto him, 
Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come 
all the way hither to draw’’ (John 4:13-15). 

There is no joy like the joy of soul-winning. This 
kind of evangelism in the Bible school should be ear- 
ried on all through the year. 

3. Invitation in the Bible School. 

Youth is the best time to begin the Christian’s life, 
because it affords a longer period of service. The 
world can never be won for Christ by winning men 
and women alone. Youth must be won or our work 
is hopeless. More than half of the additions to the 
churches last year came through the Bible schools. 
For this reason alone we must not neglect this evan- 
gelizing agency. 

We often hear it stated that every member of the 
Bible school should attend the regular church services, 
and there be given the opportunity to make the 
decision for Christ. Of course, this is true, but it is 
no reason why a special invitation should not be ex- 
tended at the Bible-school hour. 

As to the frequency of extending the invitation 
in the Bible school, there can be no definite rule 
established. The larger the school, the more often the 
invitation should be extended. In some of our suc- 
cessful, big Bible schools, the invitation is extended 
nearly every Sunday. The frequency should largely 
be determined by the material at hand and _ local 
conditions. 

4, Decision Day. 

We often hear it stated that every Sunday should 
be decision day, and this, of course, is true in a 


70 Evangelism 


sense, but it is no reason why a special day should 
not be set aside for this purpose. 

(1) The time. As to the time of observing 
Decision Day, each school should determine that. 
Some schools observe the day at Easter, some on 
Children’s Day, and others have Decision Days several 
times during the year. There is no objection to this; 
indeed, it is desirable, when local conditions seem 
right for it. It is sometimes very effective to observe 
the day in departments, rather than in the entire 
school. 

(2) Preparing for Decision Day. The success of 
Decision Day will depend upon adequate preparation 
for it. The real preparation goes back further than 
the week immediately preceding the day. It is 
found in the school atmosphere and evident purpose 
that characterizes the whole survey of the school. 

We shall here give some of the general prepara- 
tions for the day. There are five things each teacher, 
of every class above the Primary, should do: 

a. Make a survey of the class. Carefully survey 
the definite territory for which your elass is re- 
sponsible, then seek to reach every person of your 
class or department. After the survey-card is properly 
filled out make two duplicates, one for the minister 
and the other for the superintendent of the Bible 
school. 

b. Make a prayer-list. A prayer-list will give an 
opportunity to secure the minister, some friend or a 
Christian member of the class as intercessor with 
you. It will be invaluable in helping to reach the 
unsaved. 


Evangelism 71 


ec. Hold personal interviews. After the survey 
you should try to see each one on the list personally, 
about their relationship to Christ. It is not wise to 
interview your prospect before parents or others in 
the class. Make it a private, personal interview. 

d. Secure 100 per cent. attendance. Secure, if 
possible, the attendance of every member of the class 
on Decision Day. Do everything that is necessary 
to help produce a elass spirit and loyalty, so that 
every member will be thinking for a 100 per cent. 
attendance on that day. If this day is prepared for 
carefully, it will be a day of great blessing, and 
many will openly confess their faith in Christ. 

(3) The session. When Decision Day arrives, the 
school may be opened in much the usual way, using 
familiar hymns, mostly of the invitation character. 
Be sure to eliminate from the program everything that 
tends to attract attention from the main theme of the 
day. This will, of course, reduce announcements to 
the minimum, eliminate lengthy reports, etc. When 
the invitation is extended, only the highest motives 
should be used in securing decisions. It is altogether 
unworthy of the great task before us to say to James 
that he ought to confess Christ to-day because Harry 
does, or to place church membership above the sur- 
render of the heart. The one thing needful is for 
all to accept Christ as their personal Saviour, and 
gradually come to know Him and serve Him as their 
Master and Lord. 

(4) Careful follow-up. It should be remembered 
that Decision Day is only the beginning. It is the 
enlistment in the kingdom. The really important 


72 Evangelism 


work comes in training the young people, so that they 
will know how to live each day and to do definite 
Christian work. They should at once be enlisted in 
some form of Christian service; in Junior or Senior 
Young People’s society or in personal workers’ bands. 
The church’s greatest responsibility is to follow up 
each pupil who decides for Christ until he is a bap- 
tized believer, developing into Christlike character 
and service. 


TEST QUESTIONS 


1. Why is the Bible school considered the richest 
and most fruitful field for evangelism? 

2. What should be the aim of every Bible school? 

3. State the purpose of every Bible class. 

4. What are the essentials in Bible-school evan- 
gelism ? 

do. Why has the minister a responsibility in soul- 
winning? 

6. If the minister has no time for the Bible school, 
does he deserve to have one? 

7. Is the superintendent’s position in the Bible 
school less responsible than the minister’s? 

8. What forms the atmosphere that controls the 
school? 

9. What should be the aim, passion and purpose 
of every teacher? 

10. What one thing can the parents do to help 
promote evangelism? 

11. Where is the best place to teach and to live 
the Christian life? 

12. What is educational evangelism? 


Evangelism 73 


13. What should be the aim of educational evan- 
gelism ? 

14. Should a special day be set aside for Decision 
Day in the Bible school? 

15. What are some of the general preparations for 
Decision Day? 

16. State the church’s responsibility following 
Decision Day. 


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VI. 


OUTPOST BIBLE SCHOOLS AS 
THE SEED FOR NEW 
CHURCHES 


75 


OUTLINE STUDY VI. 


I. THE NEED FOR SEED-SOWING. 
1. Former Fears of Seed-sowing. 
(1) Out of Keeping with Our Spirit and Plea. 
(2) Caused Us to Hesitate to Use the Resources 
We Had. 
2. Nature’s Examples. 
3. Reaping Where We Sowed Not. 
II. OUTPOST BIBLE SCHOOLS. 
1. What We Mean by Outpost Bible Schools. 
2. They Reach Those that Will Not Come to Us. 
3. One of the Most Logical and Scriptural Methods 
for Starting a New Testament Church. 
(1) The Four Methods of Starting Churches. 
(2) Logie of the Bible-school Method. 
4, Method Can Be Used by More People than Any Other. 
5. Has Proven Most Practical by Actual Test. 
6. Is in Keeping with Letter and Spirit of the 
Great Commission. 
III. SUCH A WORK IS IN KEEPING WITH OUR 
CLAIMS AS A PEOPLE. 
1. Our Claims to Being a New Testament People. 
2. Our Teaching of Believer’s Baptism. 
3. Our Faith in the Power of the Gospel. 


76 


VE 


Outpost BIBLE SCHOOLS AS THE SEED FOR NEW 
CHURCHES. 


I. THE NEED FOR SEED-SOWING 


1. Former Fears of Seed-sowing. 

Strangely and unfortunately for a New Testament 
and evangelistic people, there came recently a period 
when large numbers actually developed a fear of seed- 
sowing. 

(1) Out of keeping with our spirit and plea. In 
our attempt to create organized missionary vision, 
congregational efficiency and Bible-school proficiency, 
we all but lost our one-time evangelistic fervor. This 
was especially true as regards our ardor for reaching 
out to carry the New Testament message into outly- 
ing and unentered places. 

The result, we soon discovered, was not only that 
we had halted in growth, but were actually falling 
back in an alarming way. We were marking off the 
lists more churches than we were planting, our mem- 
bership was showing a decrease instead of an increase, 
and the number in the ministry was showing an 
alarming decrease. 

We became obsessed with the notion that a 


church must be an efficient church, and unless it 
77 


78 Evangelism. 


measured up to certain modern standards, we felt 
that it really had as well not exist. We believe it is 
becoming apparent to all that this was an error, and 
that the time is again here when, of the money con- 
tributed for Home Missions, a far greater proportion 
should be expended for forward evangelistic work. 

In addition to this, the time has come for us to 
again discover that the greatest resource we have 
for increasing our borders lies in the missionary- 
evangelistic, but undeveloped and unused, talent of 
our whole list of ministers, officers and Bible-school 
workers. Any fairly well-started church, with a min- 
ister, can be reaching a number of unreached places 
with ‘‘outpost Bible schools’’ or Bible classes, teach- 
ing the Word as commanded, and trusting somewhat 
to God and the Word for the final outcome. ‘‘He that 
observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that re- 
gardeth the clouds shall not reap’’ (Eecl. 11:4). 

2. Nature’s Examples. 

Nature sows bountifully. A maple-tree sows a 
thousand seeds for each maple-tree that may be ex- 
pected to come forth. Likewise, the oak and the 
beech and the hickory. ‘‘Blessed are ye that sow 
beside all waters’’ (Isa. 32:20). 

3. Reaping Where We Have Not Sowed. 

As a people, we have felt that it is a good thing 
to preach the simple gospel to those who have been 
taught and trained in a denominational gospel. 
Granting that it is a good and commendable enter- 
prise to bring to a fuller knowledge of the gospel 
those who have been trained in denominational Bible 
schools, is it not even more commendable to expand 


Evangelism 719 


the borders of our Bible-school work and do more of 
our own sowing for our reaping? 


II. OUTPOST BIBLE SCHOOLS 


1. What We Mean by Outpost Bible Schools. 

By outpost Bible schools we mean those fre- 
quently termed ‘‘mission schools’’; Bible schools or: 
classes that are conducted in outlying sections or sur- 
rounding unreached places, but are, after all, but a 
part of the Bible-school enterprise of the local church. 
These may be conducted by workers assigned for the 
purpose, and may be conducted at the regular Bible- 
school hour, or may be at some other hour on the 
Lord’s Day, or may be conducted on some other day 
of the week. 

Any ehureh of Christ that is capable of carrying 
on the usual Sunday Bible school can carry on an 
outpost Bible school. All stronger churches can and 
should be carrying on five or ten such schools. If in 
the country, these can be carried on in schoolhouses; 
if in the city, halls, stores and homes are available. 

2. They Reach Those that Will Not Come to Us. 

In our foreign mission work we certainly expect 
each mission or church to have fifteen or twenty 
‘‘outpost’’ places of teaching. If it is a good thing 
on the foreign field, why not in the home field? If 
there are twenty-six million youth in America en- 
tirely without religious training, to say nothing of un- 
reached adults, is it not evidence that there are many 
who are not coming to us and to whom we must go? 
By the outpost Bible school we mean going to those 


who are not coming to us. 
6 


80 Evangelism 


It is probably the experience of most ministers 
and superintendents of the large and well-equipped 
Bible schools in towns and cities that there are many 
who, because of timidity or feelings of poverty, can 
not be gotten to attend the larger school, but can be 
gotten to attend the less pretentious mission. If we 
do not go to these, then false religions, irreligion and 
infidelity will. 

3. The Outpost Bible School Is One of the Most 
Logical and Scriptural Methods for Starting a New 
Testament Church. 

(1) The four methods of starting churches. 
There are four usual methods for starting new 
ehurches of Christ. One is the ‘‘swarming’’ of an 
older congregation. Another is by the missionary 
revival-meeting method. Another is the communion- 
service method, where a few Christians begin to 
meet for the communion and hold fast until develop- 
ment comes. The fourth is the Bible-school method. 

(2) Logie of the Bible-school method. The Bible- 
school method is a logical method that begins with 
teaching, and is found a helpful forerunner of any 
of the other methods. Jesus ‘‘went about through 
cities and villages, preaching and bringing the good 
tidings of the kingdom of God’’ (Luke 8:1). It is 
also logical because it is easier and can be done by 
less skilled leaders. 

4. Method Can be Used by More People than Any 
Other. | 
The outpost Bible-school method has the further 
advantage that it can be used by more people than 

any other method. 


Evangelasm 81 


In this way much latent talent of the local church 
ean be profitably employed in fruitful missionary 
evangelism at no added expense. Thus the number 
of disciples who can make a direct contribution of 
assistance to our missionary evangelism is immediately 
and many times multiplied. It can also make im- 
mediate use of many of the scattered and unattached 
disciples. 

5. Has Proven Most Practical by Active Test. 

Based on our actual experience as a people, this 
is an enterprise well worthy to be made wide use of. 
While it is impossible to get accurate statistics as 
to how many of our ten thousand churches were 
started as Bible schools, yet those who have made 
estimates based on reports from a given number of 
churches, have estimated that more than half of our 
city churches were so started. 

6. It Is in Keeping with the Great Commission. 

‘Go ye therefore, and make disciples [learners] 
of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of 
the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: 
teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I com- 
manded you’’ (Matt. 28:19, 20). It will be noticed 
that the great commission is teach, baptize, teach. 


Ill. SUCH A WORK IS IN KEEPING WITH OUR 
CLAIMS AS A PEOPLE 


1. Our Claims as a New Testament People. 

We lay great stress on being ‘‘a New Testament 
people.’’ If so, should we not show it, not only in 
contention for New Testament practices, but even 
more in our zeal for New Testament teaching? 


82 Evangelism 


Truly we should ‘‘contend earnestly for the faith 
once delivered to the saints,’’ but should we not also 
teach earnestly the faith for which we have all 
contended? 

2. Our Teaching Concerning Baptism. 

The fact that we have stood out as teachers of 
‘‘believers’ baptism,’’ .or baptism only of believers 
in Christ, would lead to the logical sequence that we 
should be the most fertile people on earth in the 
manner and amount and generosity of our Bible 
teaching. 

3. Our Faith in the Power of the Gospel. 

The fact that we, as a people, have quoted and 
emphasized as no other people have, that Scripture 
which says (Rom. 1:16), ‘‘For I am not ashamed 
of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salva- 
tion,’? would naturally lead us to be less fearful and 
timid than any other people on earth as to the out- 
come of preaching it widely and generally, and to all 
people everywhere. 


TEST QUESTIONS 


1. State some of the needs for seed-sowing for 
churches. 

2. State some of the results of a retarded seed- 
sowing. 
. Account for our former hesitancy. 
. Dlustrate seed-sowing from nature. 
. Give a number of Scriptures on seed-sowing? 
What is an out-post Bible school? 
. What churches can participate in this work? 
. State five advantages in outpost Bible schools. 


OIA MNP oo 


Evangelism Ss 


9. Give at least two classes more easily reached 
thus than in any other way. 

10. Name the four usual methods of starting 
ehurches, and tell the value of the Bible-school 
method. 

11. Give three ways in which this work is in strict 
accord with our claims as a people. 





VIL 
PERSONAL EVANGELISM 


85 


OUTLINE STUDY VII. 


I. ITS IMPORTANCE. 
1. Personal Evangelism Defined. 
2. Jesus was a Personal Evangelist. 
(1) Jesus Using His Lunch-hour. 
(2) An Evening Interview. 
3. Every Apostle Was a Personal Evangelist. 
II. PERSONAL QUALIFICATIONS. 
1. A Consistent Christian. 
2. Consecrated Common Sense. 
3. Perseverance. 
4, Prayer. 
III, CHRISTIAN SALESMANSHIP. 
. Believe in Yourself. 
. Believe in a Market. 
. Believe in Your Firm. 
Know Your Man. 
Know Your God. 
. Never Give Up. 
IV. TRAINING- CLASSES IN EVANGELISM. 
1. Evangelism of Boys and Girls. 
2. Young Converts. 
(1) The Christian Life. 
(2) First Principles. 
(8) Christian Service. 


Ow wo Pp 


86 


VIL. 
PERSONAL EVANGELISM. 


I. ITS IMPORTANCE 


1. Personal Evangelism Defined. 

Many Christians have a mistaken idea of personal 
evangelism. Some think it means working with an 
individual at the close of an evangelistic sermon to 
lead that individual to a definite decision to accept 
Christ. Others think it means quoting Scriptures, to 
prove some Scriptural point. These methods are used 
with success by many evangelists and workers. But 
personal evangelism is something far greater and 
better. 

Personal evangelism means the winning of an in- 
dividual to Christ through the personal effort of 
another. Personal evangelism is at the basis of all 
successful campaigns for evangelism in the church. 
It will be a great day when the church is fully aroused 
to the responsibility and privilege of personal evan- 
gelism. 

2. Jesus Was a Personal Evangelist. 

He was ready at all times to give His message, 
whether it be to one man who climbed up a tree or 
to a multitude thronging around Him. Study care- 
fully the two following examples of Jesus as a per- 


sonal evangelist : 
87 


88 Evangelism 


(1) Jesus using His lunch-hour. The importance 
of personal evangelism in the ministry of Jesus is 
demonstrated by His conversation with the woman 
at the well. When He saw the woman of Samaria, 
He forgot that He had sent the disciples to the city 
to buy food; forgot that His throat was parched with 
the heat of the day. .He thought only of the need 
of a human soul. ‘‘Jesus saith unto her, Woman, 
believe me, the hour cometh, when neither in this 
mountain, nor in Jerusalem, shall ye worship the 
Father. Ye worship that which ye know not: we wor- 
ship that which we know; for salvation is from the 
Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the 
true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit 
and truth: for such doth the Father seek to be his 
worshippers. God is a Spirit: and they that wor- 
ship him must worship in spirit and truth. The 
woman saith unto him, I know that Messiah cometh 
(he that is called Christ): when he is come, he will 
declare unto us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I 
that speak unto thee am he’’ (John 4: 21-26). 

(2) An evening interview. When Nicodemus came 
to Him by night He did not generalize, but spoke 
directly to him in words that could be understood. 
‘‘Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I 
say unto thee, Except one be born anew, he cannot 
see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, 
How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter 
a second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? 
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Ex- 
cept one be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot 
enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born 


Evangelism 89 


of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the 
Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye 
must be born anew’’ (John 3:8-7). 

3. Every Apostle Was a Personal Evangelist. 

Andrew, through personal effort, brought his 
brother Peter to Christ. Philip, through personal 
solicitation, brought Nathaniel to Jesus. (John 1: 
29-51.) Peter and John brought about the conversion 
of the cripple at the gate of the temple. (Acts 3: 
1-26.) Peter, by personal evangelism, opened the door 
of the church to the Gentiles at the home of Cornelius. 
(Acts 10:1-48.) Paul was a personal evangelist. 
(Tit. 1:4, 5; Acts 16:12-54.) In fact, all of the 
early disciples ‘‘went everywhere preaching the 
word.’’ 


II, PERSONAL QUALIFICATIONS 


In the personal qualifications of the soul-winner, 
there are several things that demand attention. 

1. A Consistent Christian. 

No individual long succeeds in trying to make 
others what he is not himself. If our own Christianity 
is not genuine, we may be more or less successful in 
conducting a meeting, but we can not long be success- 
ful in dealing directly with individuals. One can not 
urge the claims of Christ on another when he is not 
consistent in his Christian life. He must be both re- 
spected and trusted before he can successfully be a 
personal evangelist. 

If a Christian does not pay his debts, behave him- 
self with proper dignity and sincerity, he will never 
be successful in personal evangelism. 


90 Evangelism 


2. Consecrated Common Sense. 

A lack of common sense or tact in soul-winning 
often does much harm. Tact makes Christianity prac- 
tical. Sometimes a person is prejudiced against 
Christianity permanently by the tactless approach of 
a well-meaning, but tactless, personal evangelist. As 
a result of this unfortunate condition, both are 
defeated. The one sinned against himself for re- 
fusing to be helped, even though he was approached 
tactlessly. He ought to have overlooked the method 
because of the sincerity of the motive. The other 
sinned against his fellow-man by not using plain com- 
mon sense in this most important work of evangelism; 
he hindered him in his attempt to help him. In 
personal evangelism nothing is of greater importance 
than common sense. 

3. Perseverance. 

Perseverance is needed to conquer in personal 
evangelism. This is a lifelong work. ‘‘Go work to-day 
in my vineyard.’’ To-day is the demand, but this 
demand meets the eye and speaks in the ear and lays 
its claim on the heart and head and hands every 
morning from life’s first dawn to its final close. To- 
day—it claims but one day at a time, but claims every 
day as it passes. It closes only with the close of life. 
There should be no relaxation of effort. No getting 
weary of the work. No getting discouraged. 

4, Prayer. 

The personal evangelist must be a man of prayer, 
both for the effect it produces on himself and the 
effect it produces on others. It is possible to create 
an evangelistic passion in ourselves by making a 


Evangelism 91 


prayer-list of a few unsaved persons, in whom we have 
no particular interest, and praying for them every 
day by name. We can not do that very long before 
we will seek opportunities to help answer our own 
prayers. God and the personal evangelist always 
become partners in the winning of a soul, God doing 
what the individual can not do, but the individual , 
always doing the thing he ean do. 


Ill. CHRISTIAN SALESMANSHIP 


A successful personal evangelist must be a good 
salesman. The same principles which enable a man 
to sell his goods are applicable to a personal evan~ 
gelist. The manager of a large business concern gave 
his salesman six simple rules of salesmanship. They 
may be used successfully for guidance as personal 
evangelists. 

1. Believe in Yourself. 

The personal evangelist must have self-confidence. 
He must believe that he can present the claims of 
Christ in such a way that men will accept it. He is 
a poor salesman who, often representing his house 
and exhibiting his samples, tells the prospective buy- 
er that in a few days a competent man will be 
along and book his order. A good salesman takes the 
order with the full assurance that he is able to fill it. 
The personal evangelist must have the same sort of 
self-confidence. If a Christian knows what Jesus has 
done for him, if he finds Him a constant inspiration 
and help, it will go a long way toward helping some 
one else to accept Him. When more Christians believe 
more in themselves as agents used of God for this 


92 Evangelism 


work, and practice personal evangelism more, there 
will be fewer dead churches and discouraged Chris- 
tians than there are to-day. 

2. Believe in a Market. 

No salesman can work up much enthusiasm to 
sell his goods if he does not believe there is a need 
for them. If there is a need, he can create the 
demand. Now, this is precisely true of evangelism. 
The successful personal evangelist must first believe, 
with all his heart, that the world does need the 
gospel of Christ. 

3. Believe in Your Firm. 

The personal evangelist must believe that, when 
Christ gave the great commission (Matt. 28: 18-20), 
He meant what He said. He must believe that Christ 
was in earnest and that He stands by him in his 
work. He is not working alone, but doing teamwork 
with Christ. His faith will then express itself in a 
conviction that God will be with him and give him 
success. 

4, Know Your Man—His Name and Business. 

The more you know about him the more intelli- 
gently you can present the claims of Christ. 

State the condition of the person to yourself in 
different forms. Get the precise point to be met 
clearly and individually before you. Find out, in 
dealing with this particular person, what dangers 
must be guarded against. Now ask yourself what 
exactly is involved in the position of this person— 
naturally, necessarily involved. And this necessary 
implication means that some truth is set aside or 
overlooked. What exactly is that needed truth? Now 


Evangelism 93 


search for the passage (maybe whole books or trend 
of Scripture) enforcing and emphasizing the points 
brought out in the truth needed. 

5. Know Your Goods. 

The more the personal evangelist knows about 
Jesus Christ and His power to save, the better worker 
he will be. It is sufficient to say that the Christian — 
worker must know Christ before he can truly recom- 
mend Him to another. 

6. Never Give Up. 

Be persistent. Jesus requires faithful, patient, 
helpful service. A good personal evangelist wins 
souls. Never give up an individual; go after him the 
hundredth time, if necessary. Hold on for victory. 


IV. TRAINING-CLASSES IN EVANGELISM 


1, Evangelism of Boys and Girls. 

It means a great deal of work to train our boys 
and girls in the Bible school for the Christian life, 
but it will add greatly to the future success of the 
ehurch. No work will be more delightful or worth 
while than to take the youth of the school and build 
them up in character and train them for Christian 
service. If we fail at this point, we fail in the most 
vital part of evangelism. 

What should be attempted in such a class? The 
first step is to teach them what it means to be a 
Christian. This may be accomplished by the use of 
special lessons in the Junior and Intermediate group 
of our Bible schools. Many times special supplemental 
lessons may be easily correlated with the regular les- 
sons, or only part of the lesson period may be used. 


94. Evangelism 


They will also prove useful in aiding our Bible schools 
to become aggressively evangelistic. 

2. Young Converts. 

The weakest point in our modern church life is the 
failure to properly care for and train those who have 
been converted. Too often they are received into 
the chureh and left to themselves, and for want of 
proper training they either drop out of the church 
altogether, or become sort of neutral members, who 
are neither happy nor useful. With such a condition 
as this, it is difficult to do any very successful evan- 
gelistic work. 

The question now arises, How shall this work be 
done? For convenience and clearness we designate 
the work, to be accomplished, under three heads. 

(1) The Christian life. If the results of evan- 
gelistic efforts are not conserved, the work has been 
a failure. Naturally, then, the first step is to teach 
them what it means to be a Christian. They should 
be taught that to be a Christian means to accept and 
follow Christ as a personal Saviour. It means to live 
a life of love and loyalty to Him, and of unselfish 
service to men. Now that Christ is their great Teacher, 
they enter His school to learn how to live the Chris- 
tian life. 

(2) First principles. The second step in the train- 
ing of young converts is to direct their attention to 
the fundamental principles of Christ as essential in 
the extension of His kingdom, and in the future work 
of evangelism. They should be familiar with the 
Restoration plea, and be prepared to preach and teach 
it everywhere they go. This part of the training 


Evangelism 95 


should be very simple in outline, showing how the 
Bible deals with these great truths. 

(8) Christian service. The final section in the 
training program may be called practice. It is only 
as Christianity is applied to the practical problems 
of life that it shows its real worth. The more Chris- 
tians put their Christianity into action, the more’ 
tenaciously they will hold to it. 

The aim of all training-classes is to make the 
members of the church spiritual Christians, Biblical 
Christians, active Christians, and intelligent church- 
members. When this type of work is accomplished, 
there will be fewer backsliders, less formality in 
ehurech work, greater church attendance, and less 
eause for inconsistent Christian living. Truly, evan- 
gelism is a work that requires much tact and patience, 
but there is no investment of time and strength that 
makes a larger return in Christian endeavor. 


TEST QUESTIONS 


1. What is personal evangelism? 

2. State the importance of personal evangelism. 

3. Was Jesus a personal evangelist? 

4. What is the significance of the statement, 
‘“Went everywhere preaching the word’’? 

5. What are the personal qualifications of the soul- 
winner ? 

6. What is meant by being a consistent Christian ? 

7. What makes Christianity practical? 

8. What one quality is indispensable in soul- 
winning? 

9. What is the Christian’s lifelong work? 

7 


96 


10. 
Vik 
12. 


Evangelism 


In what sense is a Christian a good salesman? 
What are the six rules of salesmanship? 
Why is it necessary for the Christian worker 


to first know Christ? 


13. 


What is the first step in training the youth 


of the Bible school? 


14. 


How may we-aid our Bible schools to become 


ageressively evangelistic ? 


15. 


What is the weakest point in our modern 


church life? 


16. 
17. 
18. 
ih 
20. 
21. 


How shall we train our young converts? 

Give the first step in training young converts. 
Give the second step. 

How may Christianity show its real worth? 
What is the true aim of all training-classes? 
Why are the fundamental principles of Christ 


essential in the extension of His kingdom? 


VIL. 


GROUP EVANGELISM, OR FIND- 
ING THE LABORERS 


OUTLINE STUDY VIII. 


I. GROUP EVANGELISM BASED ON A PLAIN 
NEED. 
1. Some Pointed Facts. 
(1) Supply of Laborers Totally Inadequate, and De- 
creasing. 
(2) Ministers We Have, Usurped by Stronger Churches. 
(3) Suggestions for Solutions Impractical and Inade- 
quate. 
(4) The Cause Losing Ground. 
II. THE NEEDS. 
1. The Number of Full-time Workers Multiplied. 
2. An Apparently Impossible Sum in Arithmetic. 
III. AN OUTSTANDING DIFFICULTY. 
IV. PROBLEM OF FINDING THE LABORERS. 
1. The Raw Material Is Abundant. 
2. Where the Workers Are to Be Found. 
3. Where Evangelists Are To Be Found. 
4, Where Other Helpers Are to Be Found. 
V. GROUP EVANGELISM. 
1. What It Is Not. 
(1) A New Organization. 
(2) A Duplication of Machinery. 
2. What It Is. 
3. A Distinction. 
VI. THE GROUP EVANGELISM HYPOTHESES. 
VII. THE GROUP EVANGELISM PLAN IN DEM- 
ONSTRATION. 
1. Hypotheses Proven. 
2. Plan Demonstrated in Counties. 
3. Plan Demonstrated in Districts. 
4, Plan Demonstrated by Six Hundred Churches. 
5. Demonstration of Feasibility of National Pro- 
motion. 
VIII. GROUP EVANGELISM WORK IN THE 
FUTURE. 
1. Possibilities. 
2. Needs. 
98 


VIII. 
Group EVANGELISM, OR FINDING THE LABORERS. 


I. GROUP EVANGELISM BASED ON A PLAIN 
NEED 


1. Some Pointed Facts. 

(1) Supply of laborers totally inadequate, and 
decreasing. There are to-day, in round figures, about 
ten thousand churches of Christ in the United States. 
There are now somewhat less than five thousand min- 
isters, and their number has shown a steady decrease 
for some years. This number includes many who are 
retired, or are serving as secretaries, teachers, and in 
other fields than the regular ministry. The number 
of ministerial students in our colleges is not sufficient 
to meet the normal decrease in our ranks, due to 
death and old age. There will naturally be five thou- 
sand pulpits without regular ministers next Sunday. 

(2) Ministers we have, usurped by _ stronger 
ehurches. Our stronger churches naturally draw the 
stronger ministers to themselves, and the result has 
been that hundreds upon hundreds of the weaker 
churches are thereby left ministerless. The idea 
of the necessity for a regular or professional minister 
had so thoroughly permeated our thinking that most 
of the brethren in small churches had come to think 


that a professional minister must be secured even- 
99 


100 Evangelism 


tually, or the work of the church of Christ could not 
be carried on. 

(3) Suggestions for solutions impractical and in- 
adequate. About the only suggestions made were 
two. First, that ‘‘when the churches were willing to 
pay sufficient salaries, then sufficient ministers could 
be found.’’ While no doubt true, yet this argument 
is entirely futile, for the reason that the very churches 
involved are largely those that are entirely incapable 
of paying a living salary, due to one of two things, 
either actual financial inability or lack of leadership— 
initiative to raise the required finances. 

The other suggestion is that the active churches 
should contribute sufficient in home and State mis- 
sionary offerings, so that the salaries paid by all 
weaker churches could be supplemented to the point 
where they could pay living salaries. This might be 
an ideal plan but for two things. The first is that the 
number of churches needing assistance to pay living 
salaries is so large in proportion to the contributions 
possible to secure that the plan simply does not work. 
In other words. while this plan is good, it is entirely 
inadequate. Something more must be found. Another 
difficulty is that this plan tends to weaken the 
churches helped, and dull the edge of local initiative. 
It also tends to absorb all missionary funds to the 
point where forward missionary evangelism is re- 
duced to the vanishing point. 

(4) The cause losing ground. In actual facts and 
figures we had come to the point where, with all we 
were doing, the number of our churches was decreas- 
ing, more churches being closed for one reason and 


Evangelism 101 


another than were being opened, our membership was 
showing decrease instead of increase, the number of 
Bible schools and the number in our Bible schools 
were decreasing at an alarming rate, and the number 
in the ministry was continually decreasing. The 
land was so filled with leaderless and abandoned 
churches that a general fear of going forward into 
new fields with our plea had seized most of our people. 
It is certainly as true now as it was in the days of 
the prophets—‘‘ Where there is no vision the people 
perish’? (Prov. 29:18). 


II, THE NEEDS 


1. The Number of Full-time Workers Multiplied. 

A further fact, or group of facts, may be added. 
There never was a time when the plea was so much 
needed, nor when there was such a fertile field for it. 
There is lying before us easily five thousand open 
fields, centers of population, all containing unattached 
disciples, and all of which are an open challenge to 
all who believe that the simple New Testament gospel 
should be carried to all possible communities. But 
‘‘how shall they hear without a preacher?’’ (Rom. 10: 
14). 

2. An Apparently Impossible Sum. 

To send men to carry the message to these fields, 
and to send other men to help to evangelize and re- 
arouse the closed and needy churches, would require 
a force of five thousand preacher evangelists. To 
send such a force would require at least $10,000,000 
each year, estimating $2,000 for salary and expense 
of each. 


102 Evangelism 


Il, AN OUTSTANDING DIFFICULTY 


It is clearly apparent that this $10,000,000 a 
year is not in immediate prospect, and, second, 
that if it were available in immediate cash, the 
task would. yet be impossible, for the reason that 
with ten thousand churches and five thousand minis- 
ters, nearly all employed by and their time con- 
sumed by the stronger churches, there would yet re- 
main the greater problem of securing the number and 
kind of men necessary. In other words, the problem 
of evangelizing our country with our plea reduces 
itself strictly to one of man power, ‘‘laborers.’’ 


IV. PROBLEM OF FINDING THE LABORERS 


1. The Raw Material Is Abundant. 

The open facts reveal the difficulties. What can 
reveal a solution? Where can the laborers be found? 
The problem is the same as in Jesus’ day. ‘‘Truly 
the harvest is plenteous, but the laborers are few.’’ 
There is this difference, however, in our particular 
case. When Jesus spoke there was a force of twelve 
leaders and a few hundred disciples. With us there 
are one and one-half thousand thousands. There are 
five thousand actual equipped preachers, thirty thou- 
sand elders, quite as many deacons, tens of thousands 
of Bible teachers, to say nothing of hundreds of thou- 
sands of Christians who have listened to enough gos- 
pel teaching and preaching to have saved a continent. 

2. Where the Workers Are to Be Found. 

From whence are the workers to come? Clearly 
they may not be expected to suddenly arrive from the 


Evangelism 103 


unseen. We can not expect them to be sent from the 
denominational churches. They must and will be 
found among those who are members of churches of 
Christ, or they will not be found at all. 

3. Where Evangelists Are to Be Found. 

As to evangelists, let us remember that we have 
five thousand of the best evangelists on earth in our — 
five thousand preachers of the gospel, but they are 
hired by the stronger churches and kept busy with a 
multiplicity of more or less inconsequential things 
until they can barely preach twice a week. Too 
many of our ministers have fallen into the thought 
that to preach two sermons on Sunday for the con- 
gregation employing them is the sum total of a gospel 
preacher’s preaching obligation. 

4, Where Other Helpers Are to Be Found. 

As to teachers and leaders and helpers in carry- 
ing on the work in needy places, let all give a thought 
to the thousands of thousands mentioned above. 


V. GROUP EVANGELISM 


1. What It Is Not. 

(1) A new organization. Group evangelism is not 
anew organization. In fact, it is not an organization 
at all, nor an agency in the sense that an organiza- 
tion organized to raise funds, employ men and do 
work is counted an agency. 

(2) A duplication of machinery. It is not a 
duplication of machinery, for it has no machinery. 

2. What It Is. 

Group evangelism is a plan of work frankly 
offered to the churches and dedicated to the solution 


104 Evangelism 


of the problems cited above. It is a plan, a sugges- 
tion for the foundation difficulty ‘‘how and where to 
find the laborers.’’ Its work is not done by a central or 
national office, nor by men employed by such an office. 
All its work is accomplished through contributions 
of free service, garnered from among the five thou- 
sand preachers, the. thirty thousand elders, the tens 
of thousands of officers and teachers, and the thou- 
sands of thousands of plain Christians. 

3. A Distinction. 

A distinction must be made between the work of 
croup evangelism done by the means mentioned above, 
and the promotion of the plan of work. The national 
office merely promotes or assists in the plan of work. 
The national office lays no claim on the brotherhood, 
and asks for no offerings for its expense. It privately 
finances its own expenses, and offers its services to 
the churches to assist them in finding the workers 
and the way to do the task. In other words, the 
national office is not group evangelism. 


VI. THE HYPOTHESES OF GROUP EVANGELISM 


1. That what Christ commanded to be done can 
be done. 

2. That if the laborers are to be found, they must 
be found among the members of churches of Christ. 

3. That by far the larger part of the gospel 
preaching and teaching power of every congrega- 
tion is dormant and unused while the unsaved perish. 

4. That the number of our people includes an 
abundance of ability to solve every problem men- 
tioned in paragraphs I., IL. and III. 


Evangelism 105 


5. That our ministers and people will respond 
with an abundant outpouring of life and service if 
generally apprised, aroused, inspired, enrolled, 
trained and directed. 

6. That to do these things is entirely feasible, 
and that, in so doing, an entirely new vision of gospel 
service will accrue to both ministers and people, to- 
gether with renewed joy and purpose in the Master’s 
work. 

7. That if the number of closed churches is to be 
the cause of failure to carry the message to unen- 
tered places, then this cause ought to be immediately 
removed. | 

8. That with the forces we already have, it is en- 
tirely inexcusable that there should be any closed 
churches, except in most exceptional cases. 

9. That the message we have to impart is so sim- 
ple that a wayfaring man can understand it and that 
we have an abundance of people with quite sufficient 
ability to impart it. 

10. That such a re-aroused interest in the gospel 
message will do more to cure any ills of our brother- 
hood, including the shortage of laborers, than any 
other thing. 


VII. THE GROUP EVANGELISM PLAN IN 
DEMONSTRATION 


The question immediately arises, Is this plan of 
work Scriptural and practical? Does it, in practice, 
bear out the statements made in the ten hypotheses? 
Are these statements of theories, or statements of 
truths? Does such a plan interfere with other pro- 


106 Evangelism 


crams of work? Is it true that in our worthy efforts 
to co-ordinate the missionary efforts of our congrega- 
tions we have largely reduced all appeals to appeals 
for contributions of money, and have thereby obscured 
the call for that which is even more important—con- 
tributions of personal service in the Master’s vine- 
yard? Can such a vision be gotten to our people and 
ministers? Without attempting to follow the order 
here given, we shall, as best we ean in brief space, 
answer these practical questions. 

1. Hypotheses Proven. 

Hypothesis (1) we base on ‘‘faith,’’ and on rather 
abundant local demonstrations in the past two 
thousand years. Hypotheses (2) we hold to be self- 
evident. Hypotheses (8) we hold to be a matter of 
common observation. Hypotheses (4 to 9) we base 
on abundant demonstrations of recent date, like 
those given following. Hypothesis (10) we frankly 
admit to be a personal theory. 

2. Plan Demonstrated in Counties. 

In large number of counties in the last two years, 
all the statements included in hypotheses (4 to 9) have 
been abundantly demonstrated. Brief space does not 
here allow recounting these instances, but the Group 
Evangelism office will be glad to furnish places and 
names of county leaders who have led to the complete 
consummation of all claims here made. It has been 
. found rather easy to find and train workers to open 
and operate every closed church in a county where 
there was only one operative church with a min- 
ister, and where there were five or ten closed 
churches. 


Evangelism 107 


3. Plan Demonstrated in Districts. 

In the last two years quite a number of typical 
districts, comprising from five to twenty counties 
respectively, have given the plan a thorough trial. 
While again space forbids detailed recital, again the 
author will be glad to cite any one interested to the 
local leaders in these enterprises. The result has been 
that, though these districts were chosen with a view 
to choosing those comprehending every phase of the 
difficulties usually encountered, not one district failed 
to quickly find and enroll more than an adequate 
force to accomplish every task suggested, open every 
elosed church in the district for active and con- 
tinued service, and begin the most aggressive and 
active campaign of the district’s history for entering 
and planting churches of Christ in the unentered 
places. 

4, Plan Demonstrated by Six Hundred Churches. 

In 1922, 610 congregations and their ministers 
attempted congregational work under the group 
evangelism plan. The results were: Eight hundred 
and seventy donated evangelistic meetings, conducted 
in aS many unentered communities, or in places where 
the churches were either closed or struggling feebly. 
Nine thousand three hundred and fifty souls were 
added to these churches; 151 churches of Christ were 
thus planted in new communities; 252 closed churches 
were opened for regular and continued service. One 
hundred and seven struggling churches, unable to 
secure evangelistic help, had meetings held for them 
and were thus revived, and 186 outpost points of 
service were established. 


108 Evangelism 


5. Demonstration of Feasibility of National Pro- 
motion. 

The feasibility of conducting a national office and 
carrying this vision and message to all our people 
has been demonstrated by its being done. A busy 
office has been maintained, considerably more than one 
hundred thousand miles have been traveled, prac- 
tically every section of the country visited, untold 
pages of printed matter furnished, tens of thousands 
of our people addressed, until the group evangelism 
vision, purpose and plan is now beginning to be 
familiar to all, and is being incorporated in the plans 
of very many. No penny of contributed money has 
been used for promotional expense, but any received 
has been used to assist in some direct missionary, 
evangelistic enterprise. 


VIII. GROUP EVANGELISM WORK IN THE 


1. Possibilities. Laie 

When the vision of personal and congregational 
service in the matter of missionary evangelism can 
be gotten to all our people; when it can be gotten 
into their hearts and their programs as well as their 
minds; when five thousand ministers and churches, 
instead of six hundred, begin to pour out their service 
to promote the plea, when such a program ean be 
added to all that we are now doing—many of the 
problems will be solved, and many of the outstanding 
needs be met. 

2. Needs. 

The need is for increased vision, a missionary, 
evangelistic conscience in each minister and congrega- 


Evangelism 109 


tion, a more widely dispensed and more thorough 
knowledge of the simple gospel, a greater passion 
for the lost, and a practical missionary-evangelistic 
program brought down to each congregation. 


TEST QUESTIONS 


1. Give some facts as to the supply of laborers for 
the gospel harvest. 
2. What of the disposal of the ministers we do 
have? 
3. Name some of the attempts that have been made 
to increase the force. 
4. Give some results of the shortage. 
5. Give some facts showing the present need for 
laborers. 
6. Where does the real problem lie? 
7. Mention one difference in the problem between 
Jesus’ day and our day. 
8. Where is the only possible place in which 
laborers may be found? 
9. Where is there now a very large force of poten- 
tial missionary evangelists? 
10. Where may teachers and leaders be found? 
11. State briefly the plan and purpose of group 
evangelism. 
12. Give the ten hypotheses of group evangelism. 
13. Illustrate the practical working of the plan 
as demonstrated in counties, districts and nationally. 
14. What are the possibilities of accomplishment 
if such a vision and plan can become general? 
15. What is the main need? 


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bX 
HOW TO SECURE RECRUITS 


OUTLINE STUDY IX. 


I. WHAT WE MEAN BY RECRUITS. 
1. Men and Women for Immediate Service. 
2. Men and Women for Future Service. 
II. WHY WE HAVE NOT HERETOFORE ENLISTED AN 
ADEQUATE FORCE. 
1. We Have Made No Systematic Attempt. 
2. A Fallacious Appeal. 
3. A Winning Appeal. 
III. PLANS FOR RECRUITING THE YOUNG. 
1. A Special Recruiting Campaign. 
2. Details of Preparation for Such a Campaign. 
(1) Giving the Facts. 
(2) Suggestions for Practical Use. 
(3) A Suggested Special Program. 
(4) Notes on Follow-up Work. 
3. Classes of Volunteeers. 
(1) Professional. 
(2) Volunteers for Ministry. 
(3) Tent-makers. 
IV. RECRUITING THE OLDER WORKERS. 
1. The County Co-operative Plan. 
2. The District Group Evangelism Plan. 
V. SIFTING THE RECRUITS, 


112 


Ti 
How to SEecuRE RECRUITS. 


I. WHAT WE MEAN BY RECRUITS 


1. Men and Women for Immediate Service. 

Merely to recruit young men and young women for 
future service after years of college work and prepa- 
ration is not enough. To save and hold what is 
gained, there are many needed for immediate service. 
Therefore, we suggest that plans be made to meet 
the immediate needs as shown in lesson study fifteen. 

To do this will require that the burden of ser- 
vice be so laid upon the more experienced church- 
members of all walks in life that many will volun- 
teer to go into immediate special training for the im- 
mediate needs. These may be used in gospel teams, 
as mission Bible-school helpers, ete., etc. These re- 
eruits are as much recruits as any, and are most seri- 
ously needed. They should be enrolled in large 
numbers. 

2. Men and Women for Future Service. 

By this we mean young men and women, and even 
boys and girls down to junior age. It is high time 
that the Master’s need for laborers be laid on the 
hearts of our young people. More than one worth- 
while minister and missionary have made the decision 
in childhood. 


1138 


114 Evangelism 


While these will largely not be ready for service 
for some years to come, and especially those who 
volunteer for ‘‘life service,’’ yet it is high time they 
should be enrolled and started on the way. When 
every church takes up this matter seriously among 
the young, there will be no shortage of young people 
in our colleges preparing for the ministry and mission 
field. 

Incidentally they will add life and inspiration in 
the local training-classes, and will lend no little help 
in the immediate tasks assigned to older workers. 


il. WHY WE HAVE NOT HERETOFORE EN- 
LISTED AN ADEQUATE FORCE 


1, We Have Made No Systematic Attempt. 

When we would enroll recruits for the chureh, do 
we not gather hundreds into the Bible school and 
teach them for years with the definite expectation 
and continuous suggestion that they obey the gospel? 
Why not attack the problem of the need for laborers 
in the same serious, systematic and sensible way, and 
thus sanely attack this serious problem? 

When we would enroll recruits for the church, 
do we not advertise for months, hold prayer-meetings 
for weeks, employ an expert and then hold forth 
night after night for weeks, teaching, inviting, urging, 
appealing with every power of persuasion, both pub- 
lic and private? We do, and we get results, and no 
wonder, for we have systematically worked for a 
definite purpose and with a definite plan to accomplish 
that purpose. Why not every church and every min- 
ister in the brotherhood, this year, as carefully pre- 


Evangelism 115 


pare for a Volunteer Sunday, as we prepare for a 
revival meeting? 

2. A Fallacious Suggestion. 

We have heard it suggested again and again that 
when churches will pay as well for this service as 
other institutions pay for like service, there will 
be an adequate supply of ministers and laborers. 
Granted this to be true, would a ministry so secured 
be made up of ministers that are the heralds of a pas- 
sion and the earnest proclaimers of the plea? 

Again, though we would make no plea supporting 
the penuriousness of many church-members, yet com- 
mon sense suggests that this is no solution of the prob- 
lem, for the simple reason that there is no immediate 
prospect that such conditions will soon obtain. 

It is our humble opinion that such a suggestion 
does not do justice to the hearts of our people. In 
other words, we believe that any appeal that will 
bring results will have to be on very different and on 
higher grounds. 

3. A Winning Appeal. 

A close investigation of the reasons that have led 
all the worth-while laborers of the past to make the 
decision, will undoubtedly reveal that there were two 
things working as one. A knowledge of the truth 
that led to earnest conviction, and a keen appreciation 
of the Lord’s need for laborers. 

If such an appeal has reached the hearts of the 
hosts gone before, it will reach the hearts of those who 
must now be reached. The lure of the heroic in ser- 
vice has a hold on the hearts of men that is not yet 
dead. 


116 Evangelism 


Ill. PLANS FOR RECRUITING THE YOUNG 


1. A Special Recruiting Campaign. 

The suggestions made above as to what we have 
not done, will immediately suggest what we may and 
ean, and, therefore, should, do. Instead of repeating 
figures and statistics as to the shortage of ministers 
and weeping theoretical tears over the discouraging 
showing, let every church and every minister prepare 
a special campaign with the definite purpose of finding 
laborers for the harvest. 

2. Prepare as Carefully as for a Soul-saving 
Campaign. 

If the shortage of laborers is to be the rock over 
which the forward march of the cause is to break, 
then why should not carefully prepared special efforts 
be made in all the churches to solve this problem? 
No half-hearted, illy prepared program will get results. 
People are too serious when such decisions are sug- 
gested. | 

(1) Give them the facts. While we shall not here 
repeat the facts as to the field and the needs, they 
may be recalled from former chapters, and should 
be given to all the people in all the churches. . This is 
the first step in preparation. 

(2) Suggestions for use in preparation. Let the 
minister call all the young people of the Christian 
Endeavor and Young People’s classes together, and 
propose a ‘‘Young People’s Day,’’ for which com- 
mittees of the young people are to prepare. 

Propose that the young people, with the minister’s 
co-operation, be responsible for and render the day’s 


Evangelism 117 


program. Set the Sunday at least two or more weeks 
ahead of time. 

Suggest and determine certain definite aims for 
the day, among which should be the reaching of the 
largest possible number of the young people for the 
ehurch, and the securing of volunteers for the preach- 
ing of the Word. Give them some of the foregoing 
facts. 

Get every person, there and then, to write down 
the names of at least five young people they know, 
to whom special invitations can be sent to attend the 
special young people’s services. Get each one to agree 
to do what they can to extend a personal invitation. 

Appoint an invitation committee to write and mail 
special and personal invitations to each one whose 
name has been secured. 

Secure the appointment of a special music com- 
mittee to have full charge of the special musical pro- 
gram for the day, both vocal and instrumental. 

Secure the appointment of an ‘‘Enlistment or Vol- 
unteer’’ committee, with a chairman who will plan 
the work and see that the matter of enlistment for the 
ministry and mission field is definitely talked among 
the young people for two weeks. 

Secure the appointment of a ‘‘Personal Work 
Committee’’ that is to list all young people, in classes 
and otherwise, who might be brought into the church 
on ‘‘Young People’s Day,’’ and to do definite personal 
work to that end. 

Secure the appointment of from three to five who 
will agree to help the minister preach the evening 
sermon. Choose some subject which appeals to them, 


118 Evangelism 


such as ‘‘The World’s Need for the Gospel.’’ Call 
them together and help divide the topic into divisions 
which will fit together to make a completed discourse. 
Assign one division to each, and help them, if neces- 
sary, to outline and to find material and illustrations. 
The minister may make the closing short talk of the 
sermon and extend the appeal. 

Thoroughly advertise the day and call attention to 
it constantly for weeks before, always mentioning the 
work of the Personal Work and Enlistment Com- 
mittees. 

(3) A suggested Sunday evening program. 

Special instrumental or vocal music by young 
people. 

Hymns led, if possible, by some of the young men, 
and specially chosen for the occasion. 

Prayers by a number of the young people, espe- 
cially keeping in mind the response to the invitations 
of the evening to obey the gospel and to volunteer to 
preach the gospel. 

Music and offertory. 

Reading of the Scripture lesson by some of the 
young people. (Lesson should be committed and read 
from memory.) 

Special music. 

Sermon introduced in five minutes’ talk by minis- 
ter, followed by young people and five minutes’ clos- 
ing appeal by minister. 

Invitation hymn: ‘‘Just as I Am.”’ 

Five minutes’ presentation of facts as to need for 
preachers of the Word. Use facts on the needs for 
heroic service. 


Evangelism 119 


Invitation for volunteers, conducted the same as 
the regular invitation. Song: ‘‘I’ll Go Where You 
Want Me to Go.”’ 

(4) Notes on suggested program. The above is in- 
tended for suggestion, and not to serve aS an evening 
program. Jt should be printed, inserting names of 
participants. 

All volunteers should be called to a quiet prayer 
service immediately before going home, and at least 
a temporary ‘‘ Volunteer Band Organization’’ effected 
and arrangements made for regular meeting, study 
and preparations. 

No special offering should be taken unless it be 
to start a local permanent fund to loan to local young 
people to assist them in their education, to be re- 
turned and reloaned to others. This is a good feature 
where practicable, and gives all a chance to partici- 
pate. Frequently it is better to make this the special 
feature of the following Sunday. 

3. Classes of Volunteers. 

Volunteers called for should consist of three 
classes : 

(1) Professional. Professional or educationally 
equipped men, such as teachers, lawyers, ete., who 
will volunteer to preach the gospel and who will 
enter the ministry now. 

(2) Volunteers for ministry. Young men and 
women of high-school age and upward, who will vol- 
unteer and will educationally prepare for the regular 
ministry and mission fields. 

(3) Tent-makers. So-called ‘‘Tent-makers’’; 7. e¢., 
church officers, Sunday-school teachers and others, 


120 Evangelism 


who may not give their entire time to the ministry, 
but will support themselves at their trade or pro- 
fession, but take training to fill outlying vacant pul-— 
pits and do outpost Bible-school and church service. 


IV. RECRUITING THE OLDER WORKERS 


1. The County Co-operative Plan. 

In a county where there are one or more equipped 
and active churches, but in which there are closed or 
ministerless churches or places where the cause ought 
to be planted, the following is a good plan: 

Plan a county all-day meeting at one of the 
churches. Let the names of all members of all the 
churches be secured, and a special written invitation 
be sent to all. Set this day aside for the special pur- 
pose of enrolling volunteers from all the churches, 
and allow no other or conflicting matters to enter in 
to confuse the appeal. 

Have inspiring speakers who know and will all 
work toward the one end and purpose of the day. 
Reveal, in a concrete way, by map, chart and facts, 
the exact conditions to be met and solved. Help all 
to see that there is no selfish end to be gained, but 
that it is a thoroughly unselfish plan to work, all 
together, to do the complete task that needs to be 
done in the county. 

At the close, make an earnest appeal for volun- 
teers to go into special training for any and all kinds 
of work that it appears needs to be done. Such 
attempts In many counties have brought a thoroughly 
adequate number of good workers, and have com- 
pletely solved the problem of laborers. 


Evangelism 121 


2. The District Group Evangelism Plan. 

This is but an amplification of the county plan, 
and is usually conducted as a group evangelism insti- 
tute. Such meetings are usually held for two week- 
days and evenings, and have been the means of solving 
the entire evangelistic and ministerial-supply problem 
in great districts. 


V. SIFTING THE RECRUITS 


Some have feared to use plans like the above, for 
fear that there would be amassed a large number of 
illy chosen and unusable recruits. If the suggestions 
on training and service made in various lessons are 
used, the sifting process entirely solves itself. Ex- 
perience has proven that human wisdom is unfit for 
this task, as some of the most unlikely have proven 
the best workers and some appearing most promising 
prove to be utter failures. 


TEST QUESTIONS 


1. Name two or three classes of recruits that may 
be secured. 

2. Discuss needs for each. 

3. Mainly why have we failed to secure a suffi- 
cient number of recruits? 

4. Mention one fallacious suggestion that has been 
made. 

5. What is the strongest appeal to Christians? 

6. Outline a plan for enlisting recruits. 

7. How much preparation ought to be put into 
such a plan? 

8. What is the first essential in arousing interest? 


122 Evangelism 


9. Outline a plan of preparation for a Volunteer 
Day. 

10. Outline a suggested program for such a 
day’s services. 

11. What is the first immediate task with the new 
recruits? 

12. Give the county plan of enlistment. 

13. Give the district plan. 

14. What of sifting the recruits? 


xX. 


TRAINING GOSPEL TEAMS AND - 


PERSONAL WORKERS 


OUTLINE STUDY xX. 


I. RECRUITING THE WORKERS. 
1. The Opportunity. . 
2. The Motive that Impels Us. 
3. All within the Church. 
II. ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS. 
1. Trained. 
2. Enthusiastic. 
5. Cheerful. 
4, Love for Souls. 
III. INSTRUCTING THE WORKERS. 
1. Personal Preparation. 
(1) Prayer. 
(2) Bible Knowledge. 
2. How to Approach the Work. 
3. Training-classes. 
(1) The Necessity. 
(2) Text-books. 
(3) How to Use Text-books. 
IV. THE WORK EXEMPLIFIED. 


124 


xX. 
TRAINING GospEL TEAMS AND PERSONAL WORKERS. 


I. RECRUITING THE WORKERS 


1, The Opportunity. 

There is no limit to our opportunity in this work. 
We read in the tenth chapter of Luke: ‘‘And he said 
unto them, The harvest indeed is plenteous, but the 
laborers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the 
harvest, that he send forth laborers into his harvest.’’ 

Jesus says, as recorded by John: ‘‘Say not ye, 
There are yet four months, and then cometh the har- 
vest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and 
look on the fields, that they are white already unto har- 
vest.”’ 

But what does it matter if there be a wide-stretch- 
ing harvest-field of ripened grain, if there be no 
laborers to gather the sheaves? If the church has 
failed in any degree to evangelize the world in the 
years that have passed, it has been due to the fact 
that she first failed to beget, in a sufficient number 
of her members, a consciousness that this evan- 
gelization must be accomplished through the dynamies 
of all Christians working at it. The weakest believer, 
and the one with the smallest vision, can easily detect 


the multitude of people that need to be won for Christ, 
125 


126 Evangelism 


but it takes more than detection to win them. The 
ehurch that, with directness of teaching and loving 
persuasion, succeeds in commanding the life-giving 
effort of the largest number of gospel teams, will also 
succeed in accomplishing the redemption of the 
largest number who need evangelization. 

2. The Motive that Impels Us. 

We have a great inspiration calling us to do this 
thing; there is our study of the Christ that impels 
us. Can any person look upon Christ in His active 
physical relations among men? can any one see Him 
as He was tried and led up the mountain to be eruci- 
fied? can any one go with Him into the depths of 
the tomb? Can any person see Him, the risen Christ, 
walking about triumphant over death and the grave? 
can any one see Him ascend to the Father and hear 
the great commission fall from His lips—without being 
moved to do the thing that He gave His life in order 
to accomplish ? 

We read that, after Jesus departed, His disciples 
went everywhere preaching the Word. We find them 
going hither and thither in teams, absolutely spend- 
ing themselves that they might win others to Jesus. 

3. All within the Church. 

Evangelism must affect the lives of those within 
the membership of the church until we measure our 
opportunities and responsibilities by the standard of 
the Master, who said, ‘‘Let your light shine before 
men; that they may see your good works, and glorify 
your Father who is in heaven’’ (Matt. 5:16), and 
then again he said, ‘‘Ye are the salt of the earth.”’ 
The design of Christianity is pictured to us in this 


Evangelism 127 


standard of excellency to which He desires His ser- 
vants to attain. It is the business of the evangelists, 
elders, deacons, and members of the church to add to 
the possibilities of evangelism for the saving of the 
world. 

We need an aroused church. Christ said to 
preach the gospel to all the world, and that means - 
every creature in the world. 


II. ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS 


Gospel-team workers and personal evangelists must 
have the following essential qualifications to be rightly 
fitted for the work: 

1. Trained. 

There are hundreds of people who want to do this 
work, but they are waiting to be told how to do it. 
To answer this need, every church should train willing 
workers how to do the work in an effective way. 
The untrained often fail, and failure brings dis- 
couragement; consequently, many opportunities will 
be lost. Jesus says: ‘‘Come unto me, and learn of 
me.’?’ 

2. Enthusiastic. 

Enthusiasm is a necessary factor in the work. 
The people, with whom the worker talks, will esti- 
mate the worth of the Christian life more by the 
animated face and flashing eyes than by what he has 
to say, for the face telegraphs to them the spirit of 
the work. If, for any reason, his enthusiasm is run- 
ning low, he needs to take himself in hand and 
generate new enthusiasm. It is indispensable to the 


suecess of teamwork. 
9 


128 Evangelism 


3. Cheerful. 

This work should be done in the spirit of cheer- 
fulness. He must address himself to the great task 
in the exuberance which belongs to a thankful and 
praiseful heart. 

4. Love for Souls. 

No one can win souls who does not love them. 
We must have ‘‘the love of God shed abroad in our 
hearts.’’ It is the same love that sent Jesus to die 
for us (1 John 4:9, 10; Eph. 5:2), the love that 
brings hope to the sinner and loves him into loving 
God. He is allied to those who are perishing in their 
sins. We possess a common humanity. If God loved 
them, ought we not to love them? If Christ died to 
save them, ought we not to labor to save them? 


III. INSTRUCTING THE WORKERS 


1. Personal Preparation. 

There are two important helps in the preparation 
of gospel-team workers and personal evangelists for 
efficient service. 

(1) Prayer. A gospel-team worker must be 
prayerful, for the supplication of a righteous man 
availeth much in its workings (Jas. 5:16). He 
should cultivate the habit of secret prayer. Jesus 
said: ‘‘When thou prayest, enter into thine inner 
chamber,’’ etc. (Matt. 6:6). Here the Master directs 
His disciples, when they pray, to seek a place where 
they would be alone with God, and there pray to Him 
who dwells in a world unseen by mortals. The power 
of this privilege is clearly demonstrated in the Scrip- 
tures. It will be sufficient to refer to Jacob in his 


Evangelism 129 


lonely wrestling (Gen. 32:24); to Abraham pleading 
for Sodom (Gen. 18: 22); to David (Ps. 55:17; Ps. 119: 
164); to Daniel (Dan. 6:10); to the Redeemer Him- 
self. We have not a full record of His life, but 
we are told: ‘‘In the morning, a great while before 
day, he rose up and went out, and departed into a 
desert place, and there prayed’’ (Mark 1:35); again, 
‘‘He went out up into the mountain’’ (Matt. 14:23). 
Again, he continued all night in prayer (Luke 6:12). 
He prayed also in the garden of Gethsemane (Luke 
22:41). He was often alone with God in prayer. 
The Saviour, with the burden of redeeming the world 
upon Him, felt so much the importance of private 
prayer that He rose up before it was day to secure 
time. He made it a matter of self-denial, that He 
might be alone with God. The gospel-team worker 
has thoughts, feelings, fears, trials, problems which 
can be met in no other way. He must go to the throne 
of grace and seek help there. ‘‘Pray to thy Father 
who is in secret, and thy Father who seeth in secret 
shall recompense thee’’ (Matt. 6:6). 

(2) Bible knowledge. The word of God is called 
the ‘‘sword of the Spirit’? (Eph. 6:7). No one 
would go into battle without some sort of a 
weapon to fight with. But he must know how 
to use the Word. A soldier could not do much 
in battle if he did not know how to use _ his 
weapon. ‘‘The Bible is our tool-chest, and we must 
know what tool is needed for a certain work, and 
where to find it. The team worker must study to 
rightly divide the Word of truth (2 Tim. 2:15), to 
know how to show men their need of a Saviour, to 


130 Evangelism 


show them how to receive Him, and to answer 
excuses and objections.’’ He must not read the first 
chapter of Genesis to the man who wants to know 
how to be saved, nor the twenty-third Psalm to the 
man who does not believe that he is a sinner. Like 
the Berean Christian (Acts 17:1), he must keep to 
the Scriptures. They~ ‘‘seareched the  scriptures’’ 
daily. They did not regard it as an irksome task or 
as one which the concerns of the world might be per- 
mitted to put aside. Their delight was in the law 
of the Lord, and on it they meditated day and night. 
Thus, they added to their virtue knowledge, and have 
left an example for our imitation. Not a day should 
be permitted to pass without the Bible being opened 
and perused, and if he is thus attentive to what God 
says, how much more peaceful will be his experience, 
and how much more successful his undertakings. 

2. How to Approach the Work. 

The men of the New Testament church went forth 
to the harvest—great, strong-hearted, strong-minded 
men—in the early morning hours. Marching to the 
golden harvest. There was confidence in the eye, a 
song upon the lips, and a determination to do the 
thing appointed. If our team workers to-day 
want to approach the field in the proper manner, 
they must go with confidence. For there is no courage 
in the world that is like the courage necessary to do 
work for Christ. 

The things that count most are your spirit, your 
heart, your love, your efforts for Christ. It may be 
that you do not understand a great deal about preach- 
ing big sermons, but if you have the love of Christ 


Evangelism 131 


in you and guiding you, there will come success and 
helpfulness out of your effort. 

3. Training-classes. 

The members of gospel bands and personal work- 
ers need training. While it is true that the weakest 
ean be used of God in this most important of all 
work, it is also true that the one willing to do it can 
render better service if he has just that training 
which prepares him to do it in the best possible way, 
and with confident assurance. 

(1) The necessity. The work of bringing men to 
Christ and building up weak places is so delicate and 
so far-reaching in its results that the necessity of 
training-classes is impossible to overstate. We 
recommend such a class for every local church in 
the land. If the hope of winning the world to Christ 
hes in individual and team evangelism, and it does, 
then it becomes evident that such a_ training-class 
would furnish the much-needed equipment for the 
doing of the work wisely and effectively. 

(2) Text-books. Among the text-books the Bible 
must, of course, take first place. When Philip dis- 
covered the Ethiopian puzzled over a certain passage 
of Scripture, ‘‘he began at the same place and 
preached unto him. Jesus.’’ The personal worker 
must know his Bible. 

In this short chapter it is impossible to give other 
than the briefest suggestions on courses of study: 

a. On the Bible. We know of nothing better than 
the first twenty-seven lessons in ‘‘Training for Ser- 
vice,’’ by Moninger. ‘‘Outline of Bible History,’’ by 
B. 8. Dean. 


182 Evangelism 


b. On the Restoration. ‘‘Restoration Handbook,’’ 
by Kershner, Series I, twelve lessons. ‘‘Our Posi- 
tion,’’ by Isaac Errett. 

e. On the church. ‘‘The New Testament Church,”’ 
by Welshimer, five lessons. ‘‘How to Organize a 
New Testament Church,’’ by C. J. Sharp. 

d. On personal work. ‘‘Training for Personal 
Evangelism,’’ by Harrison, twelve lessons. ‘‘The 
Christian’s Life and Program,’’ by Harrison, twenty- 
five lessons. ‘‘The Harvest Is White,’’ by Carey 
Morgan and E. W. Thornton. 

On the last pages of this book will be found a sug- 
vested list of good and helpful books and tracts for 
additional study and classwork. 

(3) How to use text-book. This special course of 
study ought to be put to the following uses: 

a. A regularly organized class in the Bible school. 

b. In special mid-week classes organized for that 
purpose. 

ce. Ministers and evangelists may organize special 
classes for the purpose of training gospel teams and 
personal workers for efficient Christian service. 

The course of study should cover at least six 
months. One year may be consumed if desired by the 
teacher and worker. 


IV. THE WORK EXEMPLIFIED 


A subject of such importance and magnitude can 
not be satisfactorily treated in the limits of this 
chapter. We shall now present some outstanding 
examples of the effectiveness of trained gospel-team 
workers. 


Evangelism 183 


A few years ago the minister of the First Church 
of Christ, Atchison, Kan., trained a group of men 
for gospel-team work. The purpose was twofold: 
First, to give the membership the joy and inspiration 
of evangelistic effort, and, second, to carry the gos- 
pel messages to near-by needy fields—a task too great 
for the busy minister of a city chureh, unaided. 

As a result of this training, there developed a 
eroup of four men in Atchison Church, which has 
eontinued in the work with undimmed zeal for more 
than five years. During this time these four men have 
visited thirty different fields, traveled nearly two 
thousand miles, mostly by automobile, and won 
nearly three hundred to Christ, of whom 280 were 
adults. 

These men can all preach the gospel, but in their 
work they divided the responsibility. One leads the 
music, two do the preaching, and the fourth gives the 
invitation song. 

They meet each week to talk over their work, plan 
their meetings, and study together how to become 
more efficient workmen for Christ. They hold meet- 
ings in leaderless churches, encourage discouraged 
members, urge loyalty and boost Bible schools. 

What these men have done, the men of hundreds of 
other churches of Christ can well do. There are scores 
of men in our churches to-day who have the ability to 
preach the gospel acceptably, to inspire leaderless 
churches to hold the communion service, and keep up 
their Bible schools. Their talents should not be re- 
stricted to passing the emblems in a strong, well-offi- 
cered, central congregation, when all around are 


134. Evangelism 


struggling groups of brethren without leadership, dis- 
couraged and in need of a helping hand. 

The church at Pittsburg, Kan., has been doing a 
remarkable work. J. H. O. Smith is the minister and 
energetic leader of the forees.in this busy church. 
The activities of this church center around a great 
number of men who haye enlisted in gospel-team work. 
These men caught the vision of service during the 
Seoville revival, and decided they would like to hold 
meetings and Sunday services for the churches in 
near-by towns. Thirty men were organized in groups 
of five, and these six teams have been doing gospel- 
team work for several months. They caught the 
vision that this is one way to solve the problem of the 
leaderless church, and that they can also recruit for 
the weak churches. 

The captain of the six teams is an electrician by 
trade, but gives all of his spare time to the direction 
of the teams and the securing of schedules and dates 
for the work. Each team has a captain, song-leader, 
speaker, and personal workers. The wives of the men 
sometimes accompany them and help sing, play in the 
orchestra and do personal work among the women. 

The Pittsburg Church is so extremely proud of 
these teams and have thought so well of the impor- 
tance of this work that they have placed $1,000 in 
their budget this year to carry on this splendid work 
among the churches about the city. 

As to results: These teams have more than three 
hundred converts and over one hundred reconsecra- 
tions. J. H. O. Smith is in the baptistery most of the 
time. The men themselves, however, do some of the 


Hvangelhsm 135 


baptizing. They institute the communion service in 
each congregation where it is not observed, organize 
Sunday schools, raise church debts, put on the every- 
member canvass, help the widows and orphans, en- 
courage the hopeless, cheer the faint-hearted, and 
win hundreds to Christ. 

In one of the meetings, two men came to Christ on 
the last night of the revival. These two brothers tele- 
graphed their mother of their decision. This Chris- 
tian woman, who lived in Illinois, when she received 
the message, took the first train to Pittsburg, and 
arrived in time to see her sons buried with their Lord 
in Christian baptism. These two men are now dea- 
eons in the church. Another man, converted in the 
Scoville meetings, a conductor on the Frisco, was 
known among the trainmen for his ability to swear. 
He is now a member of one of the gospel teams, and 
is known for his ability to preach and win other 
men to the church. 

In one of the towns a preacher of one of the 
denominations started a revival. He was not getting 
along very well, so asked the assistance of one of the 
gospel teams. He found out that they could preach 
so well that he let them take charge of the meeting. 
Before the meeting was over, the preacher was bap- 
tized and ordained. He is now preaching for two of 
our churches. 

In these days, when so many churches are without 
preachers, may there be an increasing number of 
groups of men trained and willing to devote their 
strength, on the Lord’s Day at least, to the advance- 
ment of the kingdom in neglected places. 


136 Evangelism 


May there be scores of teams all over the nation 
holding special services, reviving weak churches, bap- 
tizing converts, and giving encouragement and vision 
to many needy fields. Let every church take this 
plan seriously, and make it a part of its local evan- 
gelistic program. 


TEST QUESTIONS 


1. What did Jesus say about the harvest? 

2. Are we responsible for the use we make of our 
talents? 

3. Why do we need an aroused church? 

4. Why should the church train workers to do 
evangelistic work? 

5. Name four essential qualifications. 

6. Why is enthusiasm a necessary factor in the 
work? 

7. What are the two important helps in prepara- 
tion for efficient service? 

8. Why should the personal evangelist cultivate 
the habit of prayer? 

9. Give an outstanding example of the use of 
gospel teams. 


XI. 
THE USE OF GOSPEL VTEAMS 


187 


OUTLINE STUDY XL. 


I. THE NEED FOR GOSPEL TEAMS. 
1. The Laborers Are Too Few. 
(1) Many Churches of Christ Are Closed Part Time. 
(2) Many Churches Have Locked Doors Every Lord’s 
Day. 
2. Many in Our Churches Need Active Service. 
II. HOW TO SECURE GOSPEL TEAMS. 
. Make the Needs Known. 
. Show the Needs Specifically. 
Get Workers to Help Reveal the Needs. 
. Conduct a Group Evangelism Congress. 
. Preach Regularly on the ‘‘Stewardship of Service.’’ 
ITI. PLANS OF ORGANIZATION AND WORK. 
1. Organization. 
2. Direction. 
3. Operation and Work. 
IV. POINTS OF ADVANTAGE IN GOSPEL TEAMS. 
1. Advantages of the Amateur. 
2. Advantages of Calling. 
3. Advantage in Scriptural Spirit of Service. 
V. BLESSINGS DERIVED FROM THE USE OF GOSPEL 
TEAMS. 
1. Souls Are Saved. 
2. Closed Churches Are Opened and New Churches Started. 
5. Workers Made Over. 
4, Full-time Workers Discovered. 
5. Vision of the Whole Church Renewed and Broadened. 
VI. EXAMPLES OF ACHIEVEMENTS. 
1. From the Scriptures. 
2. From Modern Achievements. 


ap Me, 


138 


XI. 
Tue Usrt or Gospen TRAMS. 


I. THE NEED FOR GOSPEL TEAMS 


HIS subject must be studied in close connection 

with the facts given in the previous lessons. 
In the discussion of gospel teams, we have also in 
mind single workers, who go not in teams, but in- 
dividually. In other words, this may be classed as a 
practical working out of actual New Testament work 
for real New Testament elders. 

1. The Laborers Are Too Few. 

(1) Many churches are closed part time. Next 
Lord’s Day there will be numberless churches of 
Christ with the doors shut and locked. Some of these 
will be closed for only three Sundays, and then will 
be opened for the one Sunday that the minister comes. 
A church of Christ ought to be open, the Bible read 
or taught, and the breaking of bread observed every 
Lord’s Day. 

(2) Many churches are closed every Lord’s Day. 
Next Lord’s Day there will be numberless churches 
of Christ closed and locked that have not been 
opened once in months, and some of them not once in 
years. There are ten thousand churches and five 
thousand ministers. There will, therefore, be five 


thousand churches without ministers in charge next 
139 


140 Evangelism 


Lord’s Day. True, some of these will have local 
officers who will carry on the work, but many of 
them will not. Most of these closed churches are in 
easy reach of well-equipped churches of Christ, rich 
in talent, that should be used. 

2. Many in the Churches Need Active Service. 

There are many men and women of ability in the 
churches who have been taught and instructed in 
Bible school and by preaching since they were chil- 
dren. They have had enough gospel teaching to 
constitute a liberal education. The gravest need is 
to put into practice the teaching they have had. They 
show no ability for anything but the most ordinary 
service, because they have had no opportunity to per- 
form anything but the most ordinary service. They 
need to do work in the kingdom. 


II. HOW TO SECURE GOSPEL TEAMS 


1. Make the Need Known. 

Our appeals to the members of the church have 
been along the line of duty, duty, duty. The appeal 
should consist of showing them the actual need. 
Americans and Christians are not so constituted as 
to resist an actual need when it is shown plainly to 
them. 

2. Show the Need Concretely and Not in General 
Terms. 

Give them the actual facts as shown above. Then 
take them out and show them one or two actual 
closed churches in your own county or a struggling 
church or a group of unchurched disciples in your 
own city. 


Evangelism 141 


3. Get Workers to Help Reveal the Needs. 

Hang a map of the county or district in the 
ehurch, and on it show the actual conditions in the 
matter of open and closed churches and unentered 
places. Get the men and women to make this survey 
and construct the map. It will do them good to do 
this service, and will prepare them for the gospel-, 
team work. 

4. Conduct a Group Evangelism Council. 

A well-conducted group evangelism congress will 
show the need to most of the people in all the 
churches, and secure an adequate list of gospel-team 
workers from all the churches in the district, in one 
ereat meeting. 

5. Preach Regularly on the ‘‘Stewardship of Ser- 
vice.’’ 

Preach regularly on the ‘‘Stewardship of Service,’’ 
as well as the stewardship of money. 


III. PLANS OF ORGANIZATION AND WORK 


After the willing workers of the church have been 
trained, they should immediately be placed at work. 
This is essential to continued interest and progress. 
The first tasks assigned may be very simple, but 
should be very definite. Take the whole group with 
the minister to conduct a short meeting in a needy 
place, and assign as many details as possible to the 
workers. Let them make a county survey and gather 
information. 

1. Organization. 

The organization is very simple. It mainly con- 
sists in forming them into groups, according to abili- 


142 Evangelism 


ties discovered. In a group of five there should be 
one who can lead singing, one who ean play an instru- 
ment, one who can speak, another who can teach, or 
conduct a communion, or serve as team-manager, 
hand-shaker, etc., and another who can drive a ear or 
furnish transportation. Of course, some of these 
duties can be conbined or eliminated if need be. 

2. Direction. 

The work that is to be done is usually under 
abnormal conditions, and is, therefore, difficult. 
Teams need direction. This can, and should, be 
given by the minister. A thousand problems that are 
new to them are old to him. There should be a 
regular, weekly meeting for reports of triumphs and 
difficulties, prayer, inspiration and planning. Here, 
suggestions on sermonizing and conduct of the ordi- 
nances can be given. 

3. Operation and Work. 

The conditions to be met will usually determine the 
method of operation. One of the most careful in- 
structions needed by teams is in the matter of tact. 
Inasmuch as these teams will consist of people 
with ordinary common sense, much ean be left to their 
own planning in working out details. Their first 
work may consist in Sunday afternoon meetings, or 
week-night meetings or in calling through a neigh- 
borhood and bringing back together a disbanded 
flock, or in the reorganization of a Bible school, or in 
the actual conduct of a revival meeting of their own 
kind, or in assisting the minister in a missionary- 
evangelistic meeting, or in conducting services in the 
home church while the minister is away. 


Evangelism 143 


IV. POINTS OF ADVANTAGE IN GOSPEL 
TEAMS 


I. Advantages of the Amateur. 

Granted that the amateur may do some things in 
a bungling way as compared with the professional, 
yet there is a positive advantage to the amateur., 
The people do not demand or expect so much, and so 
give him much more eredit for what he does. Many 
errors, inexcusable in a professional, will be over- 
looked in the gospel-team worker, and, being one of 
the brethren only, there will be a bond of sympathy 
and understanding that will many times gain a hear- 
ing for his message superior to that granted to the 
regular preacher. 

2. Advantages of His Calling. 

The very fact that the speaker is a railroad en- 
gineer or a business man preaching the gospel, lends 
a novelty that is helpful. Miners will attentively 
listen to a miner, and a lumberjack to a lumberjack. 

3. Advantage in Scriptural Spirit of Service. 

The greatest point of advantage is that it is the 
beginning of putting into practice the spirit of ser- 
vice that should always be in every church of Christ, 
and is one solution of the age-long problem of where 
to find the laborers. 


V. BLESSINGS DERIVED FROM THE USE OF 
GOSPEL TEAMS 


1. Souls Are Saved. 
The first blessing is that souls are saved that were 


being neglected. We have heard reports from scores 
10 


144 Evangelism 


of gospel teams, and they almost universally report 
souls saved. 

2. Closed Churches Are Opened and New Churches 
Started. 

By this means, churches of Christ that were closed 
and dead are reopened and kept open and in active 
service. Ministers are not afraid to go out and hold 
meetings and reopen churches or plant new churches, 
for the reason that they know they have the sup- 
porters to keep the work going. 

3. Workers Made Over. 

The workers themselves are made over. They are 
forced to restudy the Word. This warms their hearts, 
and makes them enthusiastic for the plea. They are 
given a taste of the joys of personal accomplishment 
in the Lord’s work, and this adds a zest to their 
Christian experience that can not otherwise be 
gained. 

4, Full-time Workers Discovered. 

This is the best sifting process for the many vol- 
unteers than can be secured. The gospel-team work 
is somewhat new in its general encouragement, but 
already many men have gotten a taste of soul-saving 
that is causing them to give up business and pro- 
fessions, and prepare for the active ministry. Thus, 
solving one problem partly solves another. 

5. The Vision of the Whole Church Is Renewed. 

Their sympathy for the struggling is increased, 
their interest in the unsaved is multiplied, their 
selfishness is suppressed, the spirit of serving rather 
than being served is disseminated, and the whole 
spiritual tone of the church is uplifted. 


Evangelism 145 


VI. EXAMPLES OF ACHIEVEMENTS 


1. From the Scriptures. ° 

First of all read again the story of Philip and the 
eunuch—eighth chapter of Acts—and keep in mind 
that Philip was not a minister, but a deacon. He 
knew the Word, he taught the Word, he used tact: 
in approaching his prospect, he won the man, he 
buried him in baptism. 

2. From Modern Achievements. 

While specific examples are numerous in modern 
times, space will permit only a few typical examples. 

(1) Around Pittsburg, Kan. There were a num- 
ber of closed churches and unentered towns. Under 
the leadership of a business man, meetings were held 
by gospel-team workers in all these churches; all 
were revived, and 470 were won to Christ, including 
one denominational preacher, in less than two years. 

(2) Ohio. In one county in Ohio, there were found 
one minister and one going church, but four minister- 
less churches, three of which were closed. In five 
months this one minister, by the aid of gospel teams 
from his own congregation, held meetings in and re- 
vived all these churches, had sixty additions and fur- 
nished the workers to keep these churches operating, 
with regular and continuous services. 

(3) Indiana. In one county in Indiana, there 
was only one going chureh in an important and 
rapidly growing section. By the help of trained 
workers, community after community was entered 
until there are now sixteen going churches, all with 
preaching fifty-two Sundays in the year. This latter 


146 Evangelism 


is accomplished, however, by a generous use of 
directed, non-professional preachers. 

(4) Tennessee. A congregation in Tennessee, 
through its teams, in sixty days, opened for service, 
and have kept open for service, forty-five closed 
churches, and in eighteen months assisted in planting 
six new churches in six important unentered centers. 


TEST QUESTIONS 


1. Why are gospel teams needed? Give two good 
reasons. 

2. Mention five specific ways to go about securing 
workers for gospel-team work. 

3. Name four features of the operation of gospel 
teams. 

4. Name and discuss three advantages te the gos- 
pel-team workers. 

5. Name five blessings accruing from the use of 
cvospel teams. 

6. Give examples of accomplishments of gospel 
teams. 


Xll 


OPENING CLOSED CHURCHES 
OF CHRIST 


147 


OUTLINE STUDY XIL 


I. WHAT CLOSED CHURCHES OF CHRIST MEAN. 
1. The Discontinued Need for a Church. 
2. The Church Closed Part Time. 
3. The Church Closed on All Lord’s Days. 
(1) For Lack of a Very Small Bit of Assistance. 
(2) The Flag of the Gospel Pulled Down. 
(3) Another Way of Practicing Open Membership. 
(4) A Church Starving for a Bit of Gospel Bread. 
(5) The Body of Christ Left to Perish. 
(6) Hungry Souls Unfed. 
(7) Caught in Toils of Unequal Competition. 
II. NO NECESSITY FOR CLOSED CHURCHES. 
1. There Is an Abundance of Workers. 
2. The Possibility of Opening Closed Churches Demonstrated. 
3. Resurrection Sermons Needed instead of Funeral Sermons. 
III. SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE CLOSED 
CHURCHES. 
. Inability to Find a Minister. 
. Closed by Will of Local Officers. 
. Closed because of Changing Population. 
. Closed because of Lost Leadership. 
. Closed because of Financial Difficulties. .. 
. Closed by Local Feuds. 
IV. HELPS IN OPENING CLOSED CHURCHES. 
1. Evangelism. 
2. County Evangelistic Board. 
3. District Group Evangelism Council. 
4, Direct Help of Near-by Church. 
5. County-wide Evangelistic Efforts. 


ann WON KF 


148 


XIii, 
OPENING CLOSED CHURCHES OF CHRIST. 


I. WHAT CLOSED CHURCHES OF CHRIST MEAN 


1. The Discontinued Need for a Church. 

We mention this first because there are such in- 
stances, and we prefer to dispose of it first that it 
may not obscure the many places that are closed and 
which by all means should be reopened. 

In certain parts of our country there are aban- 
doned churches that are abandoned in the natural 
process of development. Good roads and automobiles 
have decreased distances in some States, until ten 
miles is now a shorter distance than three miles were 
with mud roads and horse transportation. The 
crossroads church may be now abandoned for the 
good purpose of giving its life to found a church that 
has grown up in the near-by railroad town. 

2. The Church Closed Part Time. 

We choose to mention, in this connection, the 
ehureches of Christ that have allowed preaching to 
become the one end and aim of their planning, and 
have ceased to open their doors for Bible teaching 
and the Lord’s Supper, except on days when they 
have an employed preacher present. A church closed 
three Sundays out of four is a three-quarters closed 


ehureh, and needs attention almost as much as the 
149 


150 Evangelism 


entirely closed church. The Bible and the com- 
munion service should be restored, so that on the 
Lord’s Day these houses of God will not present a 
elosed, abandoned front to the unsaved world and 
advertise the indifference of the Christians. 

3. The Church Closed on All Lord’s Days. 

(1) For lack of only a small bit of needed help. 
The margin of difference between an operating church 
and a non-operating church may sometimes be very 
small. There is still need for the work; there are 
still earnest souls, but perhaps the removal of just one 
family that had taken the leadership has taken away 
the final motive power. The addition of just one in- 
terested helper, with a bit of experience and initia- 
tive, would set the whole local force going again. 
This small addition would make the whole difference, 
and many times could be easily furnished by a near- 
by church if they only knew and realized the obliga- 
tion which one group of Christians owes another. 

(2) The flag of the gospel pulled down. A closed 
church of Christ means the flag of the kingdom of 
Christ pulled down in that community. Too long 
have our people felt that such a tragedy in a sister 
congregation, though sad, yet was no immediate con- 
eern of ours. A blush of shame, and then the flush of 
determination, should light the cheek of any dis- 
ciple who learns of such a defeat. 

(3) Another way of practicing open membership. 
One way to practice open membership would be to 
cease insisting on immersion, begin to practice 
sprinkling, and, finally, take the baptistery out of the 
church. As a people, we would not think of permit- 


Evangelism Lol 


ting any such a procedure. Yet, we do permit baptiz- 
ing, baptistery, Bible, name, work, church, house, and 
all to be discontinued in a near-by community with- 
out considering that it concerns us. 

(4) It may mean a church starving to death. By 
way of illustration, let us suppose that the author is 
minister of a congregation and that the readers are © 
each members of that particular chureh of Christ. 
It is the Lord’s Day morning; all are assembled in 
the Lord’s house. We wear the name of Christ; we 
have been buried with Him; we have just completed 
breaking bread and partaking of the cup, His body 
and blood. 

As minister, we say: ‘‘Brethren, just before we are 
dismissed there is a matter to be brought before you. 
Just eight blocks from the church is a family—a 
father, mother, son and daughter—members of this 
ehurch. They are not here this morning. They have 
not been the best of members, they have not attended 
or contributed or worked as we think they ought, 
but they are dying. They are starving to death. 
There has not been a bit of bread in that house in 
two weeks. They are our brethren.’’ 

Can one think of a member of a church of Christ 
so indifferent that he would stop to say, ‘‘That is 
too bad,’ or, ‘‘Let us send a letter of condolence,’’ 
or, ‘‘How unfortunate that those people were born if 
they must starve to death’’? Any member of any 
church of Christ would get up and out immediately 
and get bread and milk to that house. 

But suppose that, instead of a dying family eight 
blocks away, your minister told of a dying church of 


152 Evangelism 


Christ eight miles away; a church of Christ starving 
to death, in which there had not been a crumb of gos- 
pel bread in two years. What would we do? Meas- 
ured by the past, we would say, ‘‘Really, isn’t that 
too bad? Why don’t they do something about it?’’ 
and then we should go straightway and forget all 
about it. ‘‘Feed my sheep’’ (John 21:17). 

As a people, we have so far developed in Christian 
character that as between individuals we have a con- 
science, but as churches of Christ and between con- 
eregations we have not yet developed a conscience. 

(5) The body of Christ left to perish. A closed 
ehureh of Christ may mean that body of Christ left 
to suffer. If we could only come to feel that the 
ehureh is Christ’s body, the point to the above illus- 
tration would be even more felt. Are we willing to 
do as much as the Roman soldier who gave the dying 
Lord vinegar on a sponge from a spear-point? ‘‘Now 
ye are the body of Christ, and severally members 
thereof’’ (1 Cor. 12:27). 

(6) Hungry souls unfed. An actual instance will 
suffice to illustrate. In a small town in Ohio the vil- 
lage church was traveling the road so many have 
traveled toward closing. Ministerless, discouraged, 
run down, its last board meeting was held on a Wed- 
nesday night by the remaining two deacons. They 
decided it was no use to go on, and that they would 
not even open the house on Sunday. 

A fifteen-year-old girl, motherless since six, had 
been one of the few who had continued to come. She 
had attended since started in the Bible school by her 
mother. The services may have been poor, but they 


Evangelism 153 


were not poor to her, for she had known no other. Not 
knowing the decision, she went as usual on the Lord’s 
Day, found the door closed, and patiently waited for 
it to open. She waited an hour, and then another, 
until it was finally borne in upon her what had been 
done. With flowing tears, she knelt on the snow- 
covered steps, made a short prayer and went home. ’ 

Fortunately, one of the deacons lived less than a 
block away, and, by accident, was a witness to the 
closing act. He vowed that, so long as he could 
walk, ‘‘that door should never again be closed on 
the Lord’s Day.’’ It never was until the building 
was torn away for a better building for a growing 
work years after. This incident was the beginning 
of new things ‘‘Feed my lambs’’ (John 21:15). 

(7) A closed church may mean a weaker church 
crowded out in the competition for leadership. With 
ten thousand churches and five thousand ministers, 
it is a certain fact that, if your congregation has a 
minister, there is some other congregation that does 
not have. Do you and your minister owe nothing to 
that sister church of Christ that is to-day closed 
because unable to compete in the struggle for leaders? 


II. NO NECESSITY FOR CLOSED CHURCHES 


1. There Is an Abundance of Workers. 

If the churches, fortunate enough to have minis- 
ters, would get over selfishness and begin to practice 
Christian brotherhood between congregations if the 
thirty thousand elders and as many deacons, and 
many more Bible teachers in our going congrega- 
tions loved the Master and the Master’s cause, and the 


154 Evangelism 


ehurch of Christ rather than just their own local con- 
gregation—there would immediately be available an 
abundance of material to open every closed church of 
Christ within thirty days. 

2. The Possibility of Opening Closed Churches 
Demonstrated. 

The ability to open closed churches has been 
already abundantly demonstrated, as mentioned in 
preceding chapters. We have devoted the major 
part of this chapter to incentives for opening churches 
that are closed, rather than methods, because the mat- 
ter is so easy to accomplish that little need be said 
upon it. Also, where there is sufficient incentive or 
wish to open the closed church, methods will im- 
mediately be found to accomplish that end. Methods 
must differ according to the circumstances, but a 
love for the gospel, plus American genius, will always 
find the way where the desire and determination are 
sufficiently aroused. 

3. Resurrection Sermons Needed instead of Fu- 
neral Sermons. 

Much has been said and much lament has gone up 
in the past few years in regard to closed and perish- 
ing churches. Many statistics, many tears, and much 
lament, will not open one closed church. The sug- 
gestions of federations and various such plans have 
only resulted disappointingly and disastrously for 
churches of Christ. Simply marking them off the list 
may clear the list, but does not open churches. The 
gospel of Christ preached again in these churches, and 
a bit of new courage and inspiration and leadership, 
will open them. Out of hundreds upon hundreds of 


Evangelism 155 


attempts reported to us in the last two years, almost 
every attempt has been successful and happy in its 
outcome. 


III. SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE CLOSED 
CHURCHES 


While rehashing old difficulties seldom avails 
much, yet, in any particular church-opening enterprise, 
it is the part of wisdom to know what the particular 
difficulty may have been. We here mention some of 
the stock difficulties that have meant disaster for 
churches, and which may be looked for singly or in 
combination in almost every ease. 

1. Inability to Find a Minister. 

There will be found a number of churches that 
have simply given up in the unfair struggle to find 
a minister. In their plight they may have once or 
twice snapped up a jobless preacher who turned out 
to be unfit in character, and ruin and discouragement 
have ensued. What that church needs is the kindly 
co-operation of all near-by churches and good minis- 
ters in finding and locating a fit and suitable minister. 

2. Closed by Will of Local Officers. 

This is one of the most difficult cases to handle. 
There are small churches that have been run into 
blind alleys by the means of dead-wood officers. They 
have so handled matters that the church can not 
grow nor even live, but, because under their guidance 
the work does not go, they are so thoroughly per- 
suaded that it is entirely impossible to make it go at 
all, that they are unwilling to allow any one to try it 
again. Many such cases are reported, of elders, who 


156 Evangelism 


flatly refuse the offer of help by good, near-by minis- 
ters and churches. They say, ‘‘It is no use,’’ and re- 
fuse the offers of help. Fortunately, these cases are 
in the minority, and tact will eventually overcome 
this difficulty if pursued with persistence. 

3. Closed by Changing Population. 

This is one of the stock causes of dwindling and 
death among country and small village congregations. 
Investigation will reveal, with few exceptions how- 
ever, that the population, though changed, is yet as 
great or greater than ever. The same evangelizing 
gospel that reached the former population will reach 
the present population. Every church is more or 
less subject to changing population, and the church | 
that ceases to evangelize the new arrivals is bound to 
die. The answer in such a case is renewed evan- 
gelism intensified. 

4, Closed by Lost Leadership. 

Every institution must have leadership. Leaders 
must have initiative first of all, and then some meas- 
ure of tact and ability. It has been said that an army 
of lambs led by a lion is more effective than an army 
of lions led by a lamb. The loss of one family has 
been the cause of closing more than one church. In 
such a case a good man of the right ability should be 
detached from a stronger near-by congregation and 
sent to replace the lost leadership. 

5. Closed by Financial Difficulties. 

This difficulty is far overemphasized. In any 
such community, investigation will reveal that any 
one of a score of other matters, requiring finance, is 
going merrily on. The money is there. The people 


Evangelism 157 


are paying for and getting what they want. Experi- 
ments have shown that, in such a case, a rearoused in- 
terest will quickly prepare the field, so that the 
money for a minister can be raised. 

It is also true that in certain cases there is not one 
left in the congregation with the initiative to go out 
and ask the others to contribute. Where this is found 
to be the case, such initiative could and should be 
promptly furnished from a near-by interested sister 
congregation. 

6. Closed by Local Feuds. 

While no stock prescription can be given for such 
an ill, yet there are certain general rules that hold 
good. One is that muddy water is seldom cleared by 
stirring it. The other is that a soul-saving campaign 
is the best cure yet found for such ills. While no 
attempt may be made to actually ‘‘settle’’ the diffi- 
culties, yet the enterprise more or less relegates them 
to the realms of unimportance and forgetfulness. 


IV. HELPS IN OPENING CLOSED CHURCHES 


1. Evangelism. 

There is scarcely an ill mentioned above but what 
evangelism—warm, earnest preaching of the gospel, 
soul-saving—will either cure or tremendously allevi- 
ate. Would it be too much to ask your congregation 
to help save a dying church of Christ by going to 
them and giving them a good evangelistic meeting? 

2. County Evangelistic Board. 

Such a board, made up of the Christian ministers 
in the county, and two representatives from each 
church in the county, whether large or small, open or 


158 Evangelism 


closed, will soon devise ways to find workers and 
reopen all closed churches. Where such a board is 
brought together for this specific purpose we have 
not seen it fail, and we have seen it succeed again and 
again. 

3. District Group Evangelism Council. 

In case the county board is not practical or possi- 
ble, try the district group evangelism council. Here 
expert helpers come to help in solving the whole prob- 
lem, district wide, in one concerted move. This has 
been tried in a number of most aggravated situations, 
and has resulted in complete success in every instance. 

4. Direct Help of Near-by Churches. 

By sending trained and experienced officers. By 
sending trained gospel teams. By sending the minis- 
ter for special work. 

5. County-wide Evangelistic Efforts. 

This plan is now being successfully used in many 
counties. The heart of the plan consists in the fact 
that a stronger church or group of churches, in place 
of planning for their annual revival, plan for the 
whole county. They send their evangelists into every 
ehurech in the county and work for the whole cause 
in the county. This plan, where aggressively pro- 
moted, has not failed, but has succeeded most glori- 
ously. 


TEST QUESTIONS 


1. Name the three conditions that cover the whole 
list of closed churches. 

2. What ought to be done about the part-time 
closed churches? 


Evangelism 159 


3. Where a church is entirely closed for a lack 
of a small bit of leadership, what should be done? 

4. Should the flag of the cross be taken down? 

5. Compare our attitude to closed churches and 
our attitude to open membership. 

6. Have we a right to abundance of gospel bread 
while others starve? 

7. Which more deserves our attention, the body 
of a human or the body of Christ? 

8. Would renewed incentive probably open many 
churches? 

9. Can we be indifferent to the church of Christ 
suffering from an unfair competition? 

10. Is there any necessity for closed churches? 
Why not? 

11. Has the above been demonstrated? 

12. What kind of sermons are needed in regard 
to closed churches. 

13. Name six of the stock causes of closed 
churches. 

14. Suggest a procedure in each case. 

15. Name five methods of opening closed churches. 


11 


Gn bh 
Esa 





All. 


HOW TO PLANT AND ORGAN-. 
IZE NEW TESTAMENT 
CHURCHES 


OUTLINE STUDY XIII. 


I. WHY NEW TESTAMENT CHURCHES SHOULD BE 
PLANTED AND ORGANIZED. 
. Christ Commanded It. 
. Our Bounden Duty as Christians. 
The Plea We Preach Demands It. 
. The Only Policy Consistent with a Century of History. 
. The Only Way to Protect Our Own. 
. For Those Who Have Never Heard. 
7. A Debt Which We Owe. 
II. WHAT WE MEAN BY PLANTING A NEW TESTAMENT 
CHURCH. 
1. Distinction between Planting and Organizing. 
2. What ‘Planting a New Testament Church Com- 
prehends. 
Tt. METHODS OF PLANTING NEW TESTAMENT 
CHURCHES. 
1. The Volunteer Revival Method. 
(1) Local Seattered Disciples No Sure Guide. 
(2) Plans that Are Essential. 
(8) Caring for the Converts. 
(4) A Common Man’s Task. 
2. The Communion-service Method. 
(1) Begin Breaking Bread, and Why. 
(2) Do Not Fear to Organize, and Why. 
(3) Advantages of This Method. 
S. The Bible-school Method. 
(1) Most Practical for Some Fields. 
(2) More People Can Help in the Beginning. 
(3) Safeguard the School. 
4, The Church-building Method. 
(1) How It Can Be Done. 
(2) Advantages of This Method. 
5. The Swarming Method. 
IV. HOW TO ORGANIZE THE NEW CHURCH. 
1. First Aims. 
2. Beginnings Must Come before Completions. 
3. Forms for Organizing. 
4. Methods of Selecting Officers. 
162 


Onpod 


XIII. 


How To PLANT AND ORGANIZE NEW TESTAMENT ' 
CHURCHES. 


I. WHY NEW TESTAMENT CHURCHES SHOULD 
BE PLANTED AND ORGANIZED 


1. Christ Commanded It. 

Christ said: ‘‘Go ye into all the world and preach 
the gospel [not interpretations of the gospel, or 
ereeds|] to every creature.’’ We are under direct 
orders to push and promote His cause. We, as Chris- 
tians, are duty-bound to extend His kingdom; 2 e., 
to spread His church everywhere. 

2. Our Bounden Duty as Christians. 

If, as Christians, we plant a church, it certainly 
should be a New Testament church. The church we 
give our energies to plant, or help to plant, should be 
a New Testament church in name, in its practices, in 
its organization, in its teachings, in its discipline. If 
we do not do this, we are not loyal to our Master’s 
command. If we help plant churches which are not 
New Testament churches in name, practice, organiza- 
tion, teaching and discipline, we are but helping to 
prolong confusion and division. We are promoting 
the very thing from which Christ prayed that His 


cause might be protected. 
163 


164 Evangelism 


3. The Plea We Preach Demands It. 

As a people we have always been definitely com- 
mitted to the cause of the union of all Christ’s fol- 
lowers on a definite New Testament basis. 

(1) The New Testament as the only divine and 
authoritative rule of faith and practice, and, therefore, 
the only rule of faith and practice on which all can 
finally agree. 

(2) The name ‘‘Christian,’’ which is Scriptural, and 
is already universally loved, respected and accepted. 

(3) The name ‘‘Churech of Christ,’’ which is Serip- 
tural, and which is the only name universally agree- 
able, sanctioned by all and the one name possible as a 
united name. 

(4) The strictly Seriptural command, precedent and 
example for the ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s 
Supper, as the only possible rallying-point for a 
final reunion. 

(5) A strictly Seriptural and divinely appointed 
form of organization for the churches as the only form 
of organization possible, to be finally accepted by all. 

The only practical way to bring this plea to all 
people is to plant New Testament churches which 
teach and preach these things everywhere. Give the 
people actual examples of non-sectarian preaching, 
show them non-sectarian churches, give all the people 
a chance to be Scripturally baptized, wear a Scrip- 
tural name, and belong to a Seriptural church. 

4. The Only Policy Consistent with a Century of 
History. 

This is briefly the program followed by our people 
for a hundred years, or since the days of Alexander 


Evangelism 165 


Campbell. If this program was right then, it is right 
now. If it is wrong, or not worth while now, it was 
wrong or not worth while then. If this program was 
worth starting and working at for a century, it is 
surely worth carrying on to final accomplishment. 
If it is worth doing partly, it is worth doing com- 
pletely. 

5. The Only Way to Protect Our Own. 

Another great reason for planting New Testament 
churches is that we are losing thousands every year 
because so many, who are simply Christians, move to 
places where there are no churches of Christ, and, 
to find church homes, they must sacrifice their Serip- 
tural name and practices and be lost to the cause in 
which they are so much needed. 

6. For Those Who Have Never Heard. 

Another great reason for planting churches of 
Christ, or New Testament churches, is that there are 
literally thousands who are dissatisfied with the con- 
fusion of sectarianism, but who have never heard the 
simple and Scriptural plea. There are many who have 
been so confused and disgusted with the babble of re- 
ligious teaching that they have turned to unbelief and 
indifference. Many of these, on hearing a simple, 
Seriptural gospel, accept it gladly. 

7. A Debt Which We Owe. 

A final reason for planting New Testament 
churches is that we, who have had a chance to hear 
and know this simple, beautiful and Scriptural teach- 
ing of the way of life, are selfish and recreant to our 
duty if we do not pass it on to others. Christian duty 
and honesty demands the payment of this debt. 


166 Evangelism 


II. WHAT WE MEAN BY PLANTING A NEW 
TESTAMENT CHURCH 


1. The Distinction between Planting and Organ- 
izing. 

When speaking of planting a church, we do not 
have in mind merely to go into some place where 
there are a number of disciples unorganized and 
induce them to elect or appoint some individuals as 
elders and deacons and then report a church as 
organized. 

A chureh might be theoretically equipped with 
Seriptural officers, and yet be almost totally dis- 
organized for the Lord’s work. Let us get away from 
the notion of organization for a little while and to 
the notion of creating churches. The organizing may 
follow as rapidly as there are churches to organize, 
provided these churches contain eligible material for 
Seriptural officers. 

2. What Planting a New Testament Church Com- 
prehends. 

Clearly, then, to plant a new church of Christ, or 
congregation of Christians, means to enter some field 
or neighborhood where there is no church upholding 
the Scriptural name, ‘‘Chureh of Christ;’’ the name, 
‘‘Christian ;’’ Seriptural baptism, Lord’s Day com- 
munion, or simple and unadulterated New Testament 
teaching. When we enter such a field it is for the 
definite purpose of teaching the New Testament doc- 
trine and urging people to accept and obey the Lord 
Jesus in His own appointed way. This comprehends 
teaching the New Testament in Bible school, from 


Evangelism 167 


house to house, in evangelistic sermon, in home Bible 
classes, or in any way that may be practical. 

It comprehends that we shall not only teach, but 
Win men, women and young people to the cause of 
Christ. It comprehends that these converts shall be 
baptized. It comprehends that any disciples of Christ 
who may be in the community shall be induced, if 
possible, to enroll for the work, and that any who love 
the Lord, but are bearing a sectarian name, shall, 
wherever possible, be given a chance to hear the sim- 
ple New Testament teaching, with a view to leading 
them to accept the New Testament way. 


Ill. METHODS OF PLANTING NEW 
TESTAMENT CHURCHES 


There are no set or machined rules of procedure in 
planting a church. Call to mind that there is one 
absolute requisite, and that is a deep and abiding 
desire on the part of at least one, and that that desire 
must be based on a deep Scriptural conviction. We 
shall give no theories as to how, but merely recount 
some well-tried and successful methods that have 
been used. 

The ordinary and well-known methods are not dis- 
cussed, in order that we may add others that are 
needed. We shall omit the ordinary missionary 
method, not because it is wrong or a poor method, 
but because we are striving to add to the results of 
that method by finding still others which shall add to 
and multiply the results many fold. 

When the time comes that again each minister 
and each member feels a personal responsibility for 


168 Evangelism 


helping to spread the plea, and will personally help 
in doing it, an interest will be created which will, 
undoubtedly, bring forth greater offerings and add 
very materially to the number of men who can be 
employed to go into the unreached places and preach 
the plea. This, added to the wonderful contribution 
of effort that can be made by ministers and members, 
will not only add to, but multiply, our advances into 
new fields. We shall thus cease delegating all personal 
responsibility, and each will share in the work. 

1. The Volunteer Revival Method. 

(1) The first things to be done. One of the first 
methods is one to be pursued by a church, led, of 
course, by the minister or some individual in the 
church. Let the church appoint a committee or some 
one to spy out the land and report the most needy 
aecessible place where a church might and should be 
planted. None but people of vision and faith should 
be on such a committee. When the place has been 
decided upon, send a group of good men, or men and 
women, to further lay plans, determine on the church- 
house, hall, empty store building or tent or taber- 
nacle location. Plan for lighting, seating, song-books, 
advertising. Study the community, list all inter- 
esting data, and determine the best time for a meet- 
ing. Then arrange to carry on your own local work 
for about three weeks without the minister, and see 
that he has his salary promptly, as he will probably 
need it more promptly because of being away from 
home. Where the location is close enough, plan to 
send delegations of interested singers, personal work- 
ers, callers, hand-bill distributors. Do not send 


Evangelism 169 


them all at once, but arrange it so that there will not 
be a feast one night and a famine the next. 

(2) Local scattered disciples no sure guide. First 
of all, do not think that there must be already a num- 
ber of disciples in the neighborhood being considered. 
That is a non-essential. The chances are that, if there 
are disciples in the neighborhood, they will not be found ' 
until after you start the work. Some of them you 
will not find until the battle is fought and the victory 
assured. Some of them you may never find. Some, 
whom you do find, may be openly opposed to what 
you propose to do. Apparently the reason for this is 
that some disciples, in a new community, feel that, 
if a church of Christ were started, they could not 
feel comfortable if they did not go into it, but that, 
if they did unite, it would cost them money and work. 
On the other hand, if there is no church of Christ 
started, they can have a good excuse for being mere 
attendants and onlookers in some church in which 
they are under no responsibility, and where they are 
continually petted with the hope of winning them. 
Their love of the plea has atrophied. 

Do not be disappointed if you should find no 
encouragement from some local disciples. While there 
are good, faithful souls hungering for the plea and the 
communion service, there are others, in almost every 
community, that will defeat the cause if they can. 
Go not by them. 

Next, do not shape your decision by the advice 
of members of other churches. In all our experience 
in church planting, we do not remember one instance 
where we were not advised that there were as many 


170 Evangelism 


churches as the community could support, and that 
there was no room for a church of Christ. 

(3) Plans that are essential. By all means pre- 
pare for a crowd. If you do, the people will see that 
you expect a crowd, and they always want to go if 
the crowd is going. The surest way to defeat the 
plan is to prepare for and expect small things. 

Invite everybody you see. 

Be an enthusiast if you expect to arouse en- 
thusiasm, or even interest. 

Avoid methods of advertising, etc., that may have 
been used in the community before. Find new ways. 

Baptize the converts promptly and publicly. 

Keep the publicity going constantly and all the 
way through, but ever changing. 

Be a man that it is a pleasure for anybody to meet, 
and make friends in the community every day. 

Hunt opportunities to ask favors of the largest 
possible number of people in the community for the 
meeting. Do not do it all yourself, but get the people 
of the community to help sing, help usher, help put 
up the tent or anything else. Every man who con- 
tributes even a small service to the enterprise will be 
out at the meetings. 

Where tent or tabernacle is to be used, it will 
usually be found that the lumber can be borrowed or 
rented at not more than the tent rental would be. 
A tabernacle is much more satisfactory, in most 
places, due to weather conditions. 

This is the revival-meeting method of planting a 
church. Estimate that about half the expense can be 
raised where the meeting is being held. Get a group 


Evangelism VEL 


of members to back your pastor by underwriting the 
entire expense, to be paid pro rata as needed, or if 
needed. 

(4) Caring for the converts. Further, to plant a 
church comprehends that these people shall be banded 
together after whatever fashion appears most prac- 
tical in the beginning. By this we mean that, where 
there is not sufficient material tried out and qualified © 
for Scriptural officers, committees may be appointed 
to handle different phases of the work temporarily. 

To plant a New Testament church comprehends 
that this group shall accept the Scriptural name 
‘*Chureh of Christ,’’ and that they shall be pledged 
to meet regularly on the Lord’s Day, in church-house, 
hall or home, and break bread in memory of His 
name, study the word of God, and contribute reg- 
ularly and cheerfully for the spread of Christ’s cause. 

It comprehends that, where possible, this church 
shall be led or assisted to secure a minister, preacher 
or leader, and that it shall go on to further organi- 
zation aS may appear practical. 

It comprehends that, wherever possible, this new 
oroup shall be led or induced to provide at once some 
regular public place of assembly, which can be dedi- 
eated and devoted to the Lord for the work of His 
ehurch. 

It also comprehends that leadership is to be found 
or provided. Hither the funds must be raised on the 
field for ministerial support and assistance given in 
finding and locating a minister, or trained workers 
from the mother church must be assigned to help 
earry on the work. 


LVi2 Evangelism 


(5) A common man’s task. Bear in mind that 
the task is not a complex one, and that it does not 
take an expert or a professional evangelist to plant 
a church. In fact, it would always be better and 
show much larger results if, when the evangelist 
comes, he could always find a year of consecrated 
teaching done ahead of him, and a small and loyal 
band already banded together in the name of Christ 
and breaking bread in memory of His name. In- 
eidentally, any of our evangelists will come much 
more readily, and at great personal sacrifice, to help 
a people who are thus loyal and trying to do God’s 
will. This appeals to evangelists much more than 
torpor or indifference. 

2. The Communion-service method. 

(1) Begin breaking bread. Another method is 
suitable to those communities where there is a group 
of disciples who may be brought together at a home 
or hall for the communion service. Any group of dis- 
ciples that will be loyal enough to meet regularly for 
communion and Bible study will, eventually, find 
an evangelist or pastor who will appreciate their 
loyalty enough that he will help them find the way to 
a meeting, or whatever steps are next most needed. 
Remember what Christ said about ‘‘where two or 
three are gathered together in my name, there will I 
be in the midst of them.’’ It is actually so. 

Call such groups of seattered disciples together; 
teach them anew the essentials of the gospel, ineclud- 
ing the benefits and duties connected with the break- 
ing of bread. Induce them to begin the regular ob- 
servance of the Lord’s Supper and take the individual 


Evangelism 1738 


pledges of as many as will that they will never allow 
this monument to Christ to be torn down or forgotten. 

(2) Do not fear to organize. Do not be afraid to 
organize even a small group into a church. They 
will be in no sense any worse off for being banded 
together as Christians only, to mutually help each 
other to follow the Christ, study the Word, keep His 
memory sacred and plan for the furthering of His’ 
cause. The center around which such a group may 
rally is the every Lord’s Day communion. 

Such a work is spiritually profitable, and is the 
surest guarantee of eventually bringing the evan- 
gelistic help that will be needed. 

(3) Advantage of this method. One advantage of 
this method is that trained elders and deacons can be 
sent to start and continue the work, and thus add to 
the missionary-evangelistic forces. 

3. The Bible-school Method. 

(1) The most practical for some fields. The 
Bible-school method is one of the very best. Many 
times it is practical where the ground is not yet ready 
for an actual church. There is no reason why a 
Christian Bible school should not be in reach of every- 
body in the country. 

(2) More people can help. Young people or old 
people, as well as people in their prime, can estab- 
lish Bible schools. There is at least one instance of 
a little girl having established a Sunday afternoon 
Bible school in a woodshed, which grew into a good 
Bible school and later into a chureh of Christ. Many 
members of churches of Christ will be all the happier 
when thus allowed a part in such a work. 


174 Evangelism 


(3) Safeguard the school. The school, when 
established, should be frankly and openly a Christian 
ehurch Bible school. Aside from the regular lessons, 
supplementary work should be given on the name 
‘“Ohristian;’’,, they Church™ ofa Christ,: yy Christiag 
Baptism,’’ and other doctrinal subjects. Care should 
be taken that the fruit is not picked, when ripe, 
by denominational neighbors. In other words, see 
that the church, which comes following the Bible 
school, is a church of Christ. The Bible-teaching 
method may take the form of the regulation Bible 
school, teaching all ages, or may be conducted as 
merely a class of adults gathered in a home to study 
the New Testament. 

4, The Church-building Method. 

(1) How it can be done. Again we name the 
method from that which is done first. This is often a 
good method, especially where there are enough local 
disciples to constitute a nucleus. This is especially 
good if there are enough surrounding churches, that 
the members can be assembled to build a church in 
a day. This is no difficult thing for fifty men to do. 
A few can be gotten to underwrite the cost of the 
material. The church can be builded on a Saturday, 
dedicated, and money for material raised on Sunday, 
and both regular and revival services started im- 
mediately. 

(2) Advantages of this method. One very great 
advantage of this method is that it will create more 
immediate interest in a new community and bring 
out a greater hearing for the preaching immediately, 
than any other plan. 


Evangelism 175 


5. The Swarming’ Method. 

This method has frequently been used in cities. 
Where a church gets large enough, it should swarm 
as do bees. That is to say, part of the members 
should separate themselves and set themselves the 
task of establishing a work and preaching the gospel 
in another and unreached part of the city. In this 
group should be some of the best officers and work-— 
ers. It requires unselfishness all around, and a high 
degree of missionary-evangelistic zeal for the cause 
to accomplish such an enterprise, but it has been 
successfully done and is worthy of consideration. 


IV. HOW TO ORGANIZE THE NEW CHURCH 


1. First Aims. 

Bear in mind that a church organization and 
methods of bringing about the organization are two 
different subjects. This lesson concerns itself with 
methods for beginning the organization. The ulti- 
mate aim is, of course, a thoroughly organized church 
with a sufficient number of duly elected elders who 
are tried, tested and otherwise Scripturally eligible, 
and a sufficient number of equipped, experienced and 
qualified deacons, and, where desired, deaconesses. 
In addition to this, the church should have such sub- 
sidiary committees, groups and organizations as the 
local situation calls for and the members decide 
upon. These organizations include the Bible school, 
ladies’ aid, Christian Endeavor, missionary organi- 
zations, and such committees as the work may need 
and the size of the congregation justify. All officers 


chosen should be instructed. 
12 


176 Evangelism 


2. Beginnings Must Come before Completions. 

A completed organization is frequently impossi- 
ble, and also impracticable, in the beginning days of 
a church. A complex organization is neither needed 
nor desirable in a small and newly started congrega- 
tion. We begin with the simplest beginnings. In 
fact, a group of baptized believers may associate 
themselves into a church of Christ, meet to study the 
Word, break bread, teach, and even baptize believers, 
without any duly elected officers at all. We believe 
that no one would deny that such an organization 
would still be a church of Christ. 

It is frequently true in a new congregation that 
there is no one who can measure up at all to the 
Seriptural requirements for an elder or a deacon. In 
such a case, committees can be appointed to look 
after and attend to the various functions and work 
for one year, until some, by their faithfulness, zeal 
and knowledge, have shown their fitness for church 
offices. 

An advisable first move in organizing a new 
ehurch of Christ is for a group of baptized believers 
to offer themselves as charter members and adopt 
and sign a charter membership declaration, somewhat 
as follows: 

‘“We, the undersigned, hereby enroll our names 
as charter members of the church of Christ at 00.0... 


as follows: 
‘“To form an organization to be known as the 
church) 'of Christ) of (22 eae : 


Evangelism 177 


‘That this organization shall have and use the 
New Testament as its one and only rule of faith and 
practice. 

“‘That the terms of admission to this congregation 
shall be identical with the gospel terms of pardon. 

“That the purposes of the congregation shall be to 
earry out the commands of Christ as suggested in the. 
great commission, to preach the simple and entire gos- 
pel of pardon, Christian life and Christian duty at 
home and abroad, to encourage and admonish each 
other to mutual edification and Christlikeness, and to 
lend our individual and organized aid and support 
to all moral and civic betterment.’’ 

Committees may be appointed on place for meet- 
ings, preparation and administration of the com- 
munion service, sick-visitation and merey and _ help, 
securing preaching or preacher or sermons to be read 
by members, arrangements for Bible school, finance, 
etc. 

3. Methods of Selecting Officers. 

In cases where there is available suitable material 
for regular church officers, there are two usual meth- 
ods of choosing the first officers of a new church. 
One is for the evangelist (where there is an evan- 
gelist) to appoint elders, deacons and committees 
for the first year. There are some things to be said 
for and some against this method of procedure. 

The other method is for the congregation to 
choose, by election, such officers and committees as 
are needed. In this case it is a good plan for a well- 
chosen committee, of the best and wisest in the 
church, to be appointed as a nominating committee, 


178 Evangelism 


who shall go over the matter most earnestly and 
prayerfully and make nominations or suggestions 
after careful thought has been put into it. This 
avoids the thoughtless snap-jJudgment tendency in 
choosing officers. This committee’s report is then 
given to the congregation for revision or adoption. 

It is advisable to shave the evangelist or a visit- 
ing minister conduct an ordination or installation ser- 
vice in which the qualifications and duties of church 
officers are thoroughly impressed upon officers and all 
members. 

Let it be remembered that the New Testament 
ehurch is strictly congregational in its government 
and discipline, and that the only officers are elders, 
deacons and, perhaps, deaconesses. From among 
these Scriptural officers, appointments may then be 
made for the special duties, such as treasurer, secre- 
tary, Sunday-school superintendent, church organist, 
etc. As this lesson deals with churches in their 
beginnings only, we do not attempt to suggest organi- 
zation further than that probably needed by a new 
and small church. 


TEST QUESTIONS 


1. Give seven reasons why New Testament 
churches should be planted. 

2. Distinguish between planting a chureh and 
organizing a church. 

3. What things does planting a church com- 
prehend? 

4. Name the five methods in general use for plant- 
ing churches. 


Evangelism AA 


5. Outline essentials of the volunteer revival 
method. 

6. Outline the communion-service method. 

7. Explain the Bible-school method. 

8. Deseribe the church-building method. 

9. What is meant by the swarming method? 

10. What are the first aims to be attained in 
organizing a church? 

11. Give the details of how to proceed in organ- 
izing. 





XIV. 


HOW TO HOUSE THE NEW CON- 
GREGATION 


OUTLINE STUDY XIV. 


I. GENERAL SUGGESTIONS. 
1. Necessity for Housing. 
2. Housing Difficult, but Never Impossible. 
3. A Matter to Avoid. 
II. THE TABERNACLE PLAN. 
1. Plan Proven Successful. 
2. Advantages of the Plan. 
III. THE BUILDING-IN-A-DAY PLAN. 
IV. THE CHURCH-UNIT PLAN. 
1. What We Mean by the Unit Plan. 
2. Advantages of This Plan. 
3. Where Plans for Such Can Be Secured. 
V. THE COMPLETED-TASK PLAN. 
VI. PLANS FOR FINANCING THE NEW BUILDING. 
1. Christian Church Building Association Plan. 
(1) Scope of This Plan. 
(2) How the Plan Is Operated. 
2. Determining Possibilities, 


182 


XIV. 
How to Hovust tut New CONGREGATION. 


I. GENERAL SUGGESTIONS 


HERE naturally can be no stock plan for hous- 

ing any new congregation, inasmuch as_ loca- 
tion and size and ability and surroundings will vary 
so greatly. 

1. Necessity for Housing. 

While we should teach ‘‘Christians only’’ to be 
loyal to the Lord and the Book and to the New Testa- 
ment church and the name and the communion ser- 
vice and the teaching, regardless of whether they have 
a minister or a house of worship, yet these two things 
are important and most essential to any aggressive 
work. <A set and central and recognized place of 
meeting is exceedingly important in holding new 
converts together and in reaching the unsaved. To 
that end, therefore, a part of the church-planting task 
is to help them provide a meeting-place, the best 
possible. This, therefore, becomes a part of missionary 
evangelism. 

2. Housing Is Sometimes Difficult, but Rarely Im- 
possible. 

Out of the many plans, some one will prove a 


possibility for the church started in any community. 
183 


184 Evangelism 


Prairie churches have been housed in sod houses. 
Many a church that is now strong was housed in a 
private home in its beginning days. Stores, halls, 
basements and temporary tabernacles have all been 
used, and the probability is that most of our churches 
have had some such first home. We shall suggest a 
few methods of housing and methods of securing such 
housing. 

3. A Matter to Avoid. 

Where at all possible, avoid an upstairs meeting- 
place, whether in store or hall or other building. For 
some reason, psychological or otherwise, it is difficult 
to get people to climb stairs to go to church. While 
upper halls have been successfully used, yet a first- 
floor meeting-place is always preferable. 


II, THE TABERNACLE PLAN 


1. Plan Proven Successful. 

Many times in planting a new church by the re- 
vival-meeting method, a tent or tabernacle must be 
used. Where a tent must be rented, it will many 
times cost as much for rental as the rental of lumber 
for a tabernacle would cost. If lumber can be bor- 
rowed or rented with the prospect that it may later 
be bought, we suggest the use of tabernacle. This 
can be builded in one day by donated help from the 
whole community, if rightly handled, and becomes 
the greatest advertising for the campaign. 

2. Advantages of This Plan. 

When the meeting ends, and the question of perma- 
nent headquarters presents itself, the tabernacle may 
be bought by raising the cost of the material, and 


Evangelism 185 


the church will have the advantage of being able to 
continue its work in the place to which the people 
have become accustomed during the revival. 

Where there is any probability that this plan will 
be followed for permanent or semi-permanent head- 
quarters, care should be taken that the ground on 
which the tabernacle is builded is chosen with a view, 
to its suitableness for a permanent location. 


Ill. THE BULDING-IN-A-DAY PLAN 


This plan has the advantage that it gives a meet- 
ing-place immediately; is probably the most inex- 
pensive, considering results; arouses more widespread 
interest throughout the community, and binds new 
converts and others to the work by giving them im- 
mediately an active task for the church. A good and 
comfortable building seating two hundred, and capa- 
ble of lasting many years, can be so builded, usually 
with donated labor, by about fifty men in eight hours. 
A few of these men need to be real carpenters, but 
only enough to act as foremen of gangs. Special plans 
and guidance should be secured from one who has had 
experience in such an enterprise. 


IV. THE CHURCH-UNIT PLAN 


1. What We Mean by the Unit Plan. 

By the church-unit plan we mean that a part of a 
building can be builded. A future completed build- 
ing may be thought of as divided into two parts, 
basement and upper floor. Many churches have 
builded and oceupied the basement, and some years 
later builded a good building above. Again, the build- 


186 Evangelism 


ing may be divided vertically. That is, basement and 
Sunday-school auditorium may be builded pending 
ability to build the main auditorium. Again, the 
building may be thought of as divided into four 
parts and builded in their order as ability increases. 
These parts would be, Sunday-school-auditorium base- 
ment, Sunday-school auditorium, main basement, then 
main auditorium. 

2. Advantages of the Plan. 

There is an advantage that should not be over- 
looked. Many times the future fate of a new con- 
gregation is sealed when a new, but small, complete 
building is builded. If the same amount of money 
and capacity can be put into what is known to all to 
be but the first unit of a greater building and a 
oreater work, there will be many times the probability 
that it will grow into a greater work. The other ad- 
vantage is that the waste involved is almost negligi- 
ble as compared with the waste of disposing of a com- 
pleted church building. 

3. Where Plans for Such Buildings Can Be Secured. 

Judge T. O. Hathcock, courthouse, Atlanta, Ga., 
has specialized in working out practical plans to 
assist needy churches to secure buildings at minimum 
cost, and yet contain modern Bible-school facilities. 
The plans he has worked out are adjustable to 
buildings running through a wide range of size and 
cost. The Christian Standard Service Department 
is attempting to assist, with free-service sug- 
gestions, which they are collecting from many sources. 
Our Church Erection Department or Church Exten- 
sion Board also can lend assistance along this line. 


Evangelism 187 


V. THE COMPLETED-TASK PLAN 


Where a good meeting has been held and a goodly 
number gathered in, it is frequently possible to 
attack boldly the problem of housing the new con- 
gregation at one bold stroke by featuring a well- 
planned and widely advertised special day, with a_ 
good man in charge who has the ability to raise 
money. Frequently, sufficient can be raised to im- 
mediately build a good, new building, or buy a suit- 
able church building that may be for sale. 


VI. PLANS FOR FINANCING THE NEW 
BUILDING 


1. The Christian Church Building Association Plan. 

(1) Seope of this plan. This plan is one merely 
intended as a help. Every building should, so far as 
possible, be financed in the place where it is builded. 
However, that is sometimes impossible, and, usually, 
very difficult. This plan is one suitable to a good, 
strong congregation that is following the group evan- 
ovelism plan of planting churches, or to a group of 
co-operating churches in a county or district. 

(2) How the plan operates. The association is 
made up entirely of individuals, and not of churches. 
There is no machinery to the association except a 
president, a secretary and a treasurer, who consti- 
tute its executive and operating committee. The mem- 
bership is made up of individuals who will enter into 
a mutual agreement somewhat as follows: 

‘‘T agree to pay $5 toward the cost of any and 
every new church of Christ that shall be erected in 


188 Evangelism 


this county (or district). It is understood that I am 
to be notified by the president thirty days before the 
building is ready to be dedicated, and I agree to send 
my $5 membership assessment in immediately, so 
that it may be presented in cash on dedication day.’’ 

(3) Advantages of the plan. One of the greatest 
advantages is that if works with little promotion. 
The fee is small enough that many can be induced to 
take membership. A second thing is that the giver is 
agreeing to a perfectly safe thing. The new church 
must be started, and the building erected and assured, 
before he is under any obligation whatever. Most of 
our members will gladly give $5 to see a new church 
of Christ absolutely assured in any new community. 
Another advantage is that the assurance of the back- 
ing of such an association helps a new church to 
determine whether it can build. Another advantage 
is that the contribution is cash and comes at a time 
when most needed. 

2. Determining Possibilities. 

How much money does it take to build? In gen- 
eral, if the location can be secured and one-half of 
the cost of the building can be raised to come in gash 
while the building is going up, the other half zan he 
borrowed from bank or Church Extension Board. Of 
the first half, a good building association, like that 
mentioned above, can frequently furnish one-half; 
a €., one-quarter of the total cost. As to the loan, 
that must be secured or definitely assured before pro- 
ceeding to build. <A group of interested individuals 
should be secured to sign a joint private note, sufficient 
to cover the loan at bank until the building is com- 


Evangelism 189 


pleted. Then loan can be secured by mortgage. Appli- 
cation for Church Extension loan should be made as 
far ahead as possible, as calls have to await their 
turn. 

TEST QUESTIONS 


1. Why is housing a new church an important fea-’ 
ture of the evangelistic task ? 

2. What would you say as to possibilities in the 
matter of housing? 

3. Mention some things to be avoided, if possible. 

4. Discuss the tabernacle plan, giving means to 
accomplish it and advantages of it. 

5. What are the advantages of the building-in-a- 
day plan? 

6. What is meant by the church-unit plan? 

7. What are the advantages of this plan? 

8. Where can suggested helps in planning be 
secured ? 

9. How proceed on the completed-task plan? 

10. What is the church-building-association plan of 
financing? 

11. How does it operate? 

12. What are its advantages? 

13. What part of the cost of a completed building 
is usually necessary before beginning a completed 
building ? 

14. What of loans to carry balance of indebted- 
ness ? 





XV. 


HOW TO SECURE A MINISTRY 
FOR THE SMALL CHURCH 


OUTLINE STUDY XV. 


I. FACTS CONCERNING THE FORCE OF REGULAR MIN- 
ISTERS. 
. The Present Supply. 
. The Number Decreasing in the Face of Needed Advance. 
. Practicing the Law of the Jungle. 
. The Number of Student Preachers Inadequate. 
. College Training Does Not Solve the Problem. 
. Some Who Are Incompetent. 
. What Has Been Done to Increase the Supply. 
VITAL IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING THE SMALL 
CHURCH. 
1. It Is the Only Hope of the Small Community. 
2. The Small Church, Even in the Larger Community, Is the 
Only Seed from Which Larger Churches Can Be Grown. 
3. The Smaller Churches Constitute the Majority. 
4. To Give Up Admits Inability to Carry Out the Great 
Commission. 
5. The Small Churches Furnish Leaders for the Larger 
Churches. 
III. THE REAL DIFFICULTY. 
1. The Need of the Small Church for Trained Leadership. 
2. The Church that Is in Its Beginnings. 
3. The Church that Is and that Always Must Be Small. 
IV. FINDING A MINISTRY FOR THE SMALL CHURCH. 
1. Where a Ministry May Be Found. 
2. How to Find the Leaders for the Small Church. 
3. Training the Ministry for the Small Church. 


i 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 


iT 


192 


XV. 
How to Secure A Ministry ror THE SMALL CHURCH. 


I. FACTS CONCERNING THE FORCE OF 
REGULAR MINISTERS 


OR immediate use we here recall that there are 

approximately ten thousand churches of Christ, 
approximately five thousand ministers for these 
churches, and at least five thousand places where our 
cause ought to be planted now; that there will in- 
evitably be five thousand churches of Christ without 
regular ministers in the pulpits next Sunday, and that 
there are many churches of Christ closed and the 
doors locked every Lord’s Day in the year. Some of 
these doors have not been open once in months, or 
even years. 

To review the facts will announce the needs. If 
sin means death, and the gospel means life; if we 
know the gospel, have the gospel, and these places 
do not have it—then we must carry it to them or dis- 
count our own hope in the gospel. A very greatly in- 
ereased force is needed to open the closed churches 
that ought to be opened, and to operate the churches 
that ought to be planted. Certainly, at least five 
thousand fairly skilled ministers of the Word are 


needed. 
198 


194. Evangelism 


1. The Present Supply. 

While we have been entirely unable to get any 
accurate figures, we do know that a few years ago we 
were reported as having about seven thousand min- 
isters. Later, we were reported to have six thousand. 
Of late we have been reporting five thousand, and now 
we notice statistics giving about forty-five hundred. 
Of this number, many are retired, preach occasionally, 
are serving in secretarial or teaching positions, or are, 
in one way or another, kept from giving their full 
time to the ministry of the gospel. As in all pro- 
fessions, some are weak or incompetent, and are peri- 
odically unemployed. 

2. The Number Decreasing in the Face of Needed 
Advance. 

It is quite easily apparent that while the very 
spirit and purpose of our plea would demand a con- 
tinually forward move, yet the facts were that at a 
time when increase was in order, decrease was con- 
tinually registered in the number of our ministers, and 
no relief was in sight. 

3. Practicing the Law of the Jungle. 

A third fact of importance to this subject is that, 
naturally, the stronger a church, the greater its 
ability to secure a minister. This is inevitable from 
the fact that ‘‘they who preach the gospel must live 
of the gospel.’’ This, however, leads to an uncon- 
scious competition among the churches, which par- 
takes much of the nature of the survival of the fittest. 
The small church most naturally ean not protect itself 
against the larger church in the matter of securing 
ministers when the supply is inadequate. 


Evangelism 195 


The result is, the strong church can have a min- 
ister and does have a minister, and the weak can not 
and does not. In this, the minister is usually in no 
way to blame. The larger salary, none too large in 
any case, nearly always represents a larger work or a 
more earnest and aggressive body of people to lead, 
and hence a real door to greater work for the Lord: 
This only creates and does not answer the question, 
‘‘How to find a ministry for the smaller church.”’ 

4. The Number of Student Preachers Entirely 
Inadequate. 

We shall not here make an attempt to give the 
actual figures as to number of students in our col- 
leges preparing for the ministry, as the number will 
ehange constantly, but the summed-up figures indi- 
cate that there are not enough ministerial students in 
all our colleges to equal the normal death-rate and 
other normal decreases in the ministry. Education 
Day appeals and other appeals have changed these 
figures very slightly. 

5. College Training Does Not Solve the Problem. 

Another fact is that, if only college-trained, pro- 
fessional ministers are to minister to churches, large 
and small, the small church will yet be uncared for, 
for it will yet be unable to contribute a living salary 
for man and family, even though he be college-trained 
and available. 

6. Some Are Simply Incompetent. 

Another fact mentioned only under the breath, 
but nevertheless a fact to be met, is that, of the force 
available and willing to preach, and with all the need 
for ministers, there are, just as in other professions, 


196 Evangelism 


some who are simply incompetent and have registered 
enough failures that their services are not in demand 
by churches. 

A minister of most mediocre ability, but with a 
family of five or six to support, simply must have a 
salary larger than most churches are willing to pay 
for the results which he is able to obtain. In facing 
this topic, we know no reason why all things bearing 
upon it should not be frankly mentioned. 

If under a minister’s leadership a church goes 
down instead of up, the church can not be blamed for 
not wishing to pay a salary for leadership that re- 
sults in decreases and decay, however good and earn- 
est the minister may be. While failures are by no 
means always the minister’s fault, ministers must 
recognize that sometimes they are and in any case 
may be. There are some ministers, both willing and 
determined to preach, who are laboring under handi- 
eaps of one kind and another, that make it simply 
impossible for them to succeed in such a way as to 
make their services in demand at a living salary. 

In other words, while there are ‘‘ministerless’’ 
churches, there are, and no doubt will be, ‘‘churchless’’ 
ministers. Space will not permit going further into 
this phase, together with the many causes, but 
there are no doubt cases where a minister should seek 
other means of making a living and yet seek to serve 
the Lord in such a way that he will not be totally 
dependent on ministerial pay for his support. 

This matter of success does not depend wholly 
on college training. It partly does, and would that 
every minister of the Word could be highly educated 


Evangelism 197 


and specially trained, but there are those with much 
training who are quite incompetent, and others with 
little training who are eminently successful. The 
matter can not be classed as wholly one of college 
training. The fact also remains that if we wait for 
an adequate supply of college and university trained 
men, we shall wait always, and miserably fail to 
carry out our Lord’s command. 

7. What Has Been Done to Increase the Supply. 

Bearing in mind that the supply must come from 
the congregations and that the congregations in gen- 
eral have had no regular program or plan in the mat- 
ter of enlistment for the ministry, it could be said 
that almost nothing has been done. The matter has 
been left largely to accident. 

Our educational forces have set an Aebaa eebyabl 
day in which the appeal is to be made in all the 
churches, for young people to enter our colleges with 
a view of life service. Most of our evangelists have 
made a practice of enlisting volunteers; some homes 
have consciously and purposely tried to guide their 
children toward the ministry, but these have been all 
too few, and the total results of all efforts have not 
resulted in answering, ‘‘How to find a ministry for 
the small church.’’ 


II. VITAL IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING THE 
SMALL CHURCH 


1. It Is the Only Hope of the Small Community. 
The small community most naturally must have a 
small church or none. In our rejoicing over great 
enterprises, this fact must not be overlooked. By 


198 Evangelism 


gospel measures the small community and its people 
are quite as needy in soul values as the people of the 
great center. If we have not found a way to main- 
tain the gospel in the small community that will 
always be small, then we simply have to find a way 
or make one. 

2. The Small Church, Even in the Larger Com- 
munity, Is the Only Seed from Which Larger 
Churches Can Be Grown. 

The number of large or great churches that have 
started large or great are too few to be worthy of 
considering in an investigation of this subject. If 
there is to be any increase in the number of larger 
churches, the small churches must be maintained. 

3. The Small Churches Constitute the Majority. 

Another reason for a solicitous interest in main- 
taining the small church is that, if the small churches 
disappear, by far the majority of our churches will 
disappear, and a majority of the communities into 
which we have entered will be abandoned to other 
and unseriptural messages. 

4. To Give Up Admits Our Inability to Carry Out 
the Great Commission. 

To abandon or consider giving up the problem of 
finding leadership for the small, even the very small, 
church is to admit our total inability to carry out the 
New Testament commands. Uncle Sam gets to every 
child of his with the mail. Is it impossible for the 
church of Jesus Christ to get to any except those 
communities that are capable of speedily building up 
strong, self-supporting churches? If there is not some 
way by which we can get the gospel to, and main- 


Evangelism 199 


tain the gospel in, the community that is and always 
will be small, then we must admit our own failure. 

5. The Small Churches Furnish Leaders for Big 
Churches. 

The reason we mention last is the one usually men- 
tioned first, and the only one usually mentioned. 
The small church is the source of much of the mem- 
bership, and of a large part of the preaching force, 
for our larger churches. There are numberless little 
churches that have never been heard of for their 
money contributions, that have yet contributed from 
one to twenty each, of the most able preachers we 
have ever produced. <A poll taken of the membership 
of most large city churches will show that a very 
large part of the membership came into the church 
by way of the small church. 


Ill. THE REAL DIFFICULTY 


1. The Need of the Small Church for Trained 
Leadership. 

The result of our present system is naturally that 
the stronger church can secure the more able minister, 
and, the weaker the churches, the farther down the 
line they must go in the scramble to secure ministers. 
This ruinous policy of the survival of the fittest is 
eounteracted by the conscientiousness of many of 
our ministers who pass by all alluring calls, and stay 
by the work that seems to need them most. The 
churches, as such, have never had a_ conscience 
developed along this line. The plan is for each con- 
gregation to get what it wants if it can. The Group 
Evangelism office has been laboring strenuously for 


200 Evangelism 


some years to try to help create a conscience along 
this line, so that each church may begin to think in 
terms of all the churches. 

The fact still remains that the small or struggling 
church is in quite as serious need of good and ex- 
perienced guidance as is the larger church. Their 
problems are frequently too great for the amateur. 
Their officiary are many times inexperienced, and all 
the more need wise guidance. The small community 
many times needs as great culture in its ministers as 
the larger community. 

2. The Church that Is in Its Beginnings. 

For the small church that is in its beginnings there 
is a partial solution, depending on its prospects of 
becoming a large or self-supporting church. In the 
case of promising or so-called strategic fields, our 
State and national missionary societies have been able 
to relieve a part of the situations by supplementing 
salaries. The number of places thus reached, however, 
is far too few to solve the problem, and yet does not 
touch the real problem of ‘‘how to find a ministry for 
the small church.”’ 

3. The Church that Is and that Must Always Be 
Small. 

The churches that are strong enough to be able to 
raise the money and employ ministers at something 
like living salaries will probably be able to have min- 
isters without much aid from any one or any organi- 
zation. A number of our State secretaries have in- 
sisted that they were easily able to find ministers for 
any church willing to pay a living salary of $1,500 
and up. Some have suggested, therefore, that there 


Evangelism 201 


is no shortage of ministers, because there are appar- 
ently as many ministers as there are churches able 
and willing to pay living salaries. 

This is entirely aside from the question being 
studied. What about the small church that is not and 
never can be large? Of course, some will manage 
with what is called half-time and quarter-time preach-’ 
ing, as so many small churches do. The question still 
remains, ‘‘What about the church that can not secure 
even quarter-time preaching ?’’ 


IV. FINDING A MINISTRY FOR THE SMALL 
CHURCH 


1. Where a Ministry May Be Found. 

All that has been said before is to show the need 
and the necessity for some kind of ministry for the 
small church. Without enumerating the places from 
which this ministry can not be secured, let it be said 
that among the members of the churches of Christ 
help and leadership must be found or it will be found 
nowhere. In the bosom of the churches of Christ 
this ministry now is, if it is anywhere on earth. 

There is abundant material there, quite as able and 
quite as consecrated as the average now constitut- 
ing our ministry. We may have put forth little sys- 
tematic and planned effort to find and bring out this 
ministry, but it is there in abundance. 

With thirty thousand considered to be eligible to 
be elders, as many more deacons, and tens of thou- 
sands of Bible teachers, with men and women of cul- 
ture, education, ability, there is abundance of talent 
unused and undiscovered. 


202 Evangelism 


Many have been taught the gospel every week from 
childhood. A people a million and a half strong, a 
people of the Book, are but deceiving themselves when 
they think or say there is no place to find leadership 
for the leaderless churches. 

2. How to Find the Leaders for the Small 
Churches. > 

First give all the people the information. Most 
of them do not know that there are leaderless, dying 
and closed churehes at their own doors. Most of our 
ministers have been so indifferent to any personal re- 
sponsibility in the matter, and have left it so sacredly 
to some one else, that our people have not been told. 

Make the information specific, concrete, not gen- 
eral. Show them the samples. 

Help them to see and know the tragedy of a 
closed, dying or dead church of the living God. Make 
them feel that these doors must be opened. Bring 
the responsibility for these conditions down to where 
it belongs, down to the people in the local churches. 

Plan as systematically for enrolling and enlisting 
numbers of your people for solving this problem as 
you would plan for a revival meeting to enroll and 
enlist sinners in the kingdom. 

In solving this particular problem, dispense with 
the old stock, standardized notion of the ministry, 
supported and full time. These churches need expert 
leadership in many things besides preaching. Send 
them expert deacons’ help from the rich experience of 
your experienced deacons. Send them teaching and 
organizing help from your trained workers. Leave 
your own pulpit at times and preach a few sermons 


Evangelism 203 


for those who are hungrier and will appreciate it 
more. Train some of those enrolled, so that they can 
teach the Bible, conduct a communion service, or 
baptize people in a way to be inspiring. 

This combination service will give the church that 
is unable to secure even fourth-time service, full-time 
service, and of a more expert character than some are: 
receiving that are using employed service. 

3. An Objection. 

It may be said that these workers must continue at 
their vocations in order to live, and that they will 
not be willing to give up their trades and professions 
for the work of the ministry to the small churches. 

There are two answers: First, with a proper 
appeal, many will be found who are willing, and, 
second, there is no need at all why most of them 
should give up their regular calling. The churches, 
which we are discussing, must have a ministry. They 
will never be able to support a ministry; then we 
must find a ministry that can and does support itself. 
Even Paul made tents for a living and yet did worth- 
while things for the Lord. 

4, Training the Ministry for the Small Church. 

Most of these workers must be trained in the local 
church from which they go out. Granted that other 
training is impossible, yet why should not every 
church of Christ be a training-school for real workers 
in His kingdom, and why should not every skilled 
preacher be a trainer of men and women for real ser- 
vice? Local church training, local Bible institutes, 
summer-camp training, church training, correspon- 
dence work and other features are now a possibility 


204. Evangelism 


to all who earnestly desire them. The minister who is 
a college man and an experienced laborer ought to 
be able to impart many things educational and prac- 
tical to those who go out for service. 


TEST QUESTIONS 


1. How is the securing of ministers related to 
evangelism ? 

2. Give some facts and figures as to the inade- 
quate supply of ministers. 

3. What is a most apparent need? 

4. What of the present supply of ministers? 

5. Is a decrease in number in keeping with the 
purpose and program of the churches of Christ? 

6. Why is the present system wrong, and what is 
its actual result? 

7. What of the future supply as indicated by the 
number of students preparing for the ministry? 

8. Can college training solve the problem? 

9. What of the problem of incompetents? 

10. What has been done to increase the supply? 

11. Give five vital reasons why the small churches 
must be maintained. 

12. Name three situations that constitute the real 
difficulty. 

13. Discuss each. 

14. Where can a ministry be found? 

15. How can this ministry be found and enlisted? 

16. How can guidance and training for the recruits 
be found? 


XVI. 
HOW TO PREACH TO REACH 


OUTLINE STUDY XVI. 


I. THE MAN. 
1. His Character. ip 
2. His Convictions. 
3. His Preparation. 
II. THE MESSAGE. 
1. Its Content. 
2. Its Appeal. 
(1) Self-righteousness, 
(2) Attitude toward Christ. 
(3) Relation to His Fellow-man. 
3. Its Construction. 
(1) Simplicity. 
(2) Built for a Purpose. 
(3) Illustrations, 
4. Its Delivery. 
(1) Use Natural Voice. 
(2) Forget Self. 
(3) Be Earnest. 
III. THE OBJECTIVES. 
1. World Salvation. 
2. Transformed Life. 


206 


XVI. 
How to Preacu to REACH. 


I. THE MAN 


HE minister’s throne is his pulpit, and when he 

abdicates that to become an organizer of char- 
ities, or a caterer of amusements, or a gossip in stores 
and on street-corners, the ministry will cease to hold 
the place which belongs to it in the respect of men. 
Many things are now expected of the ministry, and 
some of them of importance, but the minister makes a 
mistake who permits his pulpit work to take a sec- 
ondary place. Christ taught that the one supreme 
purpose of His mission to the world was that He 
might bear witness to the truth, and the same must 
always be the high calling of the minister of Christ. 
No vocation, in all the world, calls for more of the 
best in manhood or requires greater ability to reach 
the hearts of men. 

In addition to our regular ministers, there are 
scores of men in our churches to-day who have the 
ability to preach the gospel acceptably. In this way, 
congregations can be ministered to in neglected and 
remote districts. Churches can be organized in 
homes and schoolhouses. Mission stations can be 


reached. In fact, any one who can speak to a group 
14 207 


208 Evangelism 


need go no further for a commanding opportunity. In 
these days, when so many churches are without 
preachers, there ought to be scores of elders, deacons, 
and members of the church, trained and willing to 
devote their strength to the advancement of the king- 
dom in neglected places. 

In the consideration of this study on ‘‘How to 
Preach to Reach,’’ we shall include every Christian 
who desires to tell the gospel story of Jesus and His 
love. 

1. His Character. 

There is just one important thing to be said about 
the character of the man who preaches the gospel of 
Christ: He must be a Christian. He should be a man 
who places all his confidence and hope in Jesus 
Christ, his Saviour. His love for humanity and for 
his heavenly Father should make him gentle and 
true, and unfold within him a Christlike sympathy 
towards all sorts and conditions of men, women and 
children, and fill him with a supreme passion to serve. 
To this quality all other things are secondary, but 
they are, nevertheless, important. 

‘“‘Be thou an ensample to them that believe, in 
word, in manner of life, in love, in faith, in purity’’ 
(1 Tim. 4:12). 

2. His Convictions. 

There are two things to be said about the preach- 
er’s convictions: 

(1) He must believe that Jesus Christ is the Son 
of God and the only Saviour. Any one who fails to 
see that the Bible gives Jesus Christ a peculiar and 
distinctive dignity all His own can not hope to reach 


Evangelism 209 


men by his preaching. The world wants something 
more than ‘‘You with God,’’ by Theodore Parker, 
for its Saviour. It demands a Christ and Saviour 
Himself. The hunger of the human heart can never be 
satisfied with less. 

You might as well attempt to cure an easily 
frightened horse by painting the red barn white, as. 
to save a sinner by a beautiful bit of language or a 
rosy sentiment. One thing is certain, if a man is lost 
he needs a Saviour. Truly, then, every preacher 
should feel the necessity of Jesus Christ as his per- 
sonal Saviour, or he will fail utterly in spite of per- 
sonality or any other grace that nature may 
bestow. 

(2) He must believe that men are lost. There is no 
use trying to rescue men from drowning on dry land. 
The testimony of the Scriptures concerning sin and 
the doom of the sinner is very plain. ‘‘And you did 
he make alive, when ye were dead through your tres- 
passes and sins, wherein ye once walked according 
to the course of this world, according to the prince 
of the powers of the air, of the spirit that now 
worketh in the sons of disobedience; among whom we 
also all once lived in the lusts of our flesh, doing the 
desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by 
nature children of wrath, even as the rest’’ (Eph. 
2:1-3). 

When a preacher really believes down in his heart 
that the man out of Christ is lost, is going down to 
eternal destruction, and that no power but the blood 
of Jesus Christ can save him, there will be more 
earnestness for the saving of mankind. 


210 Evangelism 


3. His Preparation. 

(1) Self-development. Nothing should be lacking 
which is needed to bring the minister to his fullest 
perfection, because of the daily influence of his work. 
He deals constantly with human life, and toils to 
realize the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of 
man. To do the best work, his mind must be speeded 
up to the limit of its power and capacities. Every 
faculty and talent must be brought into play. The 
more richly he is endowed, the more manifold will be 
his usefulness, and no talent need go to waste. 

(2) Theological difficulties. The minister is pre- 
eminently a lover and imparter of truth. He is ex- 
pressly told to prove all things and hold fast to the 
truth. He is not an intellectual prisoner of a closed 
eanon. The promise of Jesus is: ‘‘Ye shall know the 
truth, and the truth shall make you free’’ (John 
8:32). It is sometimes hard for the modern minis- 
ter to teach the truth, but he needs to learn that 
new theories and liberal theology can not be crammed 
down men’s throats. Preach the truth, not theology; 
that is, the essence of Christianity. Truth does not 
need to be kept in a strong box. It thrives on free- 
dom and fresh air. 

Some scholars of eminence assure us that the 
teachings of God are rapidly being relegated to the 
realm of folklore and primitive superstition. But our 
restless age shows, as it turns hopefully from one sect 
or religious fad to another, that it hungers for the 
truth. For the brave and honest preacher of the 
truth, thousands of churches fling their doors wide 
open. The only man for whom there is not room in 


Evangelism 211 


the church of Christ to-day is the theological trimmer 
and dodger, who juggles with truth for the sake of 
personal advantage and in the name of higher educa- 
tion. Jesus says: ‘‘To this end have I been born, and 
to this end am I come into the world, that I should 
bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the 
truth heareth my voice’’ (John 18:37). The minis: 
ter must constantly remember that he ‘‘ecan do nothing 
against the truth, but for the truth’’ (2 Cor. 18:8). 

(3) Educational advantages. The young man who 
contemplates entering the ministry should take every 
advantage for a thorough education. However, edu- 
cation is not a prerequisite or requirement for the 
work of the ministry. Men have succeeded in the past, 
and will continue to succeed in the future, by native 
talent, common sense and the ability to make life 
itself serve them as a university. 

The age at which a man decides to enter the min- 
istry affects the question of preparation and train- 
ing. Each man must decide for himself as to the best 
investment of his time and money in preparation for 
service, and all men must realize that all they know 
about the Christ, whose name they bear, whose gospel 
they proclaim, whose life they try to exemplify, is 
contained in the Bible. How little the minister can 
sueceed, even with the most careful preparation and 
active diligence, in regard to the great ends of the 
ministry, without careful, diligent study of the Word. 
The Bible imparts not only divine doctrine, but also 
the finest of human culture. That this Book, above 
all others, will be the subject of his study, needs 
seareely to be emphasized. 


212 Evangelism 


II. THE MESSAGE 


1. Its Content. 

As to the content of a sermon, it should be, of 
course, the pure and simple gospel of Jesus. If we 
preach Christ and Him crucified, we will have power 
and a message the people will accept. It is this sim- 
ple message that the crowded churches and halls are 
hearing to-day. If a preacher desires to preach to 
empty pews, simply leave the cross and Christ out 
of the message. ‘‘But far be it from me to glory, 
save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through 
which the world hath been crucified unto me, and I 
unto the world. For neither is circumcision anything, 
nor uncireumeision, but a new creature. And as 
many as shall walk by this rule, peace be upon . 
the Israel of God’’ (Gal. 6: 14-16). 

2. Its Appeal. 

As to the appeal of the message, it should always 
be to the individual as touching one or the other of 
the following three things: 

(1) Self-righteousness. This appeal is to the 
Christian. The spirit of our own righteousness has 
erept into the church to-day to an alarming degree. 
With the spirit of self-righteousness, the church can 
not stand erect and be the power in the world she 
ought to be. No need to remember the words of 
Jesus, contained in His Sermon on the Mount, when 
He said: ‘‘Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypo- 
erites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which 
outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of 
dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye 


Evangelism 2138 


also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but in- 
wardly ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity’? (Matt. 
23:27, 28). 

(2) Attitude toward Christ. This means the 
appeal to the unsaved. This is the peculiar glory of 
every man’s effective preaching. Paul and Silas 
preached great gospel sermons when they converted 
the Philippian jailor. ‘‘They spake the word of the 
Lord unto him, with all that were in his house. And 
he took them the same hour of the night, and washed 
their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, im- 
mediately. And he brought them up into his house, 
and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly, with 
all his house, having believed in God’’ (Acts 16: 
32-34). 

And to-day a preacher’s chief compensation is the 
joy of leading souls to Christ, ‘‘and they that are 
wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; 
and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars 
for ever and ever’’ (Dan. 12:3). 

(3) Relation to his fellow-man. This is the appeal 
for brotherly kindness. ‘‘Is Christ divided? was Paul 
crucified for you? or were ye baptized into the name 
Oreranl tenn (1) Cor. 1:13.) 

The call of God to every human soul is not only 
come and be saved, but come and serve. To preach 
to reach is to know and love humanity. 

3. Its Construction. 

We can only emphasize, here, a few things which 
we have found most helpful in our own experience. 

(1) Simplicity. A man who preaches to reach 
must remember that his audiences are filled with vari- 


214 Evangelism 


ous kinds of people—some who can not think pro- 
foundly and some who have been working hard all day 
and are too tired to think. Keep this fact in mind, 
and remember that in trying to preach to please a 
lawyer or a college professor, you will probably let 
the biggest part of your congregation go hungry. 

Do not walk around in the pulpit on stilts. Get 
down where the common people are. Do not put 
the new-mown hay too high in the manger. Jesus 
said, ‘‘Feed my sheep.’’ He did not say, ‘‘Feed my 
giraffes.’’ Do not try to be an intellectual skyscraper. 
A little soaring now and then may be permissible, 
but do not stay up in the air too long; your audience 
will miss you. Do not use lengthy sentences, big words 
and heavy style. Tell the people what you want 
them to know in plain, simple, direct English lan- 
guage. In doing this you will command their atten- 
tion. And, furthermore, the preacher who does not 
command attention ought to stop preaching and go 
to fixing umbrellas. 

(2) Built for a purpose. Every sermon should be 
made for a purpose. And if it fails to accomplish 
that purpose, it is like salt that has lost its savor, 
‘it is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast 
out and trodden underfoot of men.’’ 

The supreme question is, Does the sermon do the 
work? Does it reach the hearts of men? Does it 
accomplish a definite purpose and stimulate to action? 
If it does not do this, the sermon should be recon- 
structed before it is used again. 

(3) Illustrations. There is great power in the in- 
telligent use of illustrations that illustrate. They 


Evangelism 215 


will help to hold the attention of the people and 
bring out more forcibly the point you wish to make. 
Do not be afraid of illustrations. 

4. Its Delivery. 

There are just three things to be said about the 
delivery of a sermon: 

(1) Use natural voice. Always preach with the | 
voice nature gave you. There is such a thing as a 
preacher’s tone. It’s a kind of deep bass tone, but 
unnatural. Some preachers use it because they think 
it is one of the main essentials of success. But an 
unnatural voice is not effective and oftentimes 
ruins a good sermon. If the preacher expects the 
- people to pay attention to what he is saying, he 
must use his own natural voice. 

(2) Forget self. Keep self in the background in 
all you do and say. Step behind the cross, and the 
people will see Jesus Christ and Him crucified. When 
the preacher enters his pulpit in the spirit of humility 
and prayer, he will lose himself so entirely in Christ 
that both the congregation and preacher shall ‘‘see 
no man save Jesus only.’’ Paul, in his first letter to 
the Corinthians, said: ‘‘For I determined not to know 
anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him 
erucified’’ (1 Cor. 2:2). 

(3) Be earnest. It takes pep to put a sermon 
over. A sermon without earnestness in its delivery 
is dry and without results. People will go in large 
numbers to hear a sermon flow red hot from the 
heart of a man filled with the passion of Christ’s 
love. Be earnest, and the fire in your own heart will 
kindle a flame in the souls of others. 


216 Evangelism 


Ill. THE OBJECTIVES 


‘“‘Mor seeing that in the wisdom of God the world 
through its wisdom knew not God, it was God’s good 
pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to 
save them that believe. Seeing that Jews ask for 
signs, and Greeks seek after wisdom: but we preach 
Christ crucified, unto Jews a stumblingblock, and 
unto Gentiles foolishness; but unto them that are 
ealled, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of 
God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolish- 
ness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of 
God is stronger than men’’ (1 Cor. 1: 21-25). 

The scope of Paul’s entire ministry was simply 
preaching Jesus Christ and Him crucified. And, 
hence, he says to the Corinthians: ‘‘For I determined 
not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, 
and him ecrucified’’ (1 Cor. 2:2). This, then, sug- 
gests the twofold object of all preaching. 

1. World Salvation. 

The primary object in preaching is to convince the 
world that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, through 
whom alone any sinner can find peace and pardon. 

This was Christ’s great objective, and it must, 
therefore, be our objective. 

2. Transformed Life. 

The second great objective in preaching is to per- 
suade men to receive, honor, love, serve and obey 
Him. ‘‘Blessed are they that wash their robes, that 
they may have the right to come to the tree of life, 
and may enter in by the gates into the city’’ (Rev. 
22:14). 


Evangelism 217 


We can teach men to use the power He has given 
them by taking Christ into the life and then passing 
Him out to others. The constant repetition of this 
type of preaching will help transform lives into the 
likeness of God. 

With regard to the entire study of ‘‘How to 
Preach to Reach,’’ the author simply refers the. 
preacher to the example of Christ and His apostles. 
Their sermons are still our best models of rhetoric 
and pulpit oratory. 


TEST QUESTIONS 


1. What was the one supreme purpose of Christ’s 
mission to the world? 

2. Why should the man who preaches the gospel 
be a Christian? 

3. What two things are to be said about the 
preacher’s convictions? 

4, Is education a prerequisite for the work of the 
ministry ? 

5. Does the age at which a man enters the min- 
istry affect the question of preparation? 

6. What should be the contents of a sermon? 

7. What is the preacher’s chief compensation? 

8. Should every sermon be built for a purpose? 

9. What is the twofold object of all preaching? 

10. What was Christ’s great objective? 
















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XVII. 


HOW TO CONDUCT THE INVI- 
TATION 


OUTLINE STUDY XVII. 


I. TYPES OF PEOPLE TO BE REACHED. 
1. The Willing, but Ignorant. 
. Those Lacking Conviction. 
. The Willfully Indifferent. 
. The Doubter. 
. The Young Christian. 
. Those Turning Back. 
IT. PREPARATION FOR THE INVITATION. 
1. The Minister. 
(1) Prayer. 
(2) Concern for Unsaved. 
(3) The Sermon. 
2. The Choir. 
3. The Membership. 
(1) Individual Effort. 
(2) Pray for Minister. 
(3) House Well Ventilated. 
(4) Members Visit Each Other. 
(5) Watch for Effects of Preaching. 
III. EXTENDING THE INVITATION. 
1. The Sermon. 
2. The Crisis. 
3. The Invitation Song. 
4. Co-operation. 


Oo rm OF dD 


220 


XVIL. 
How to Conpuct THE INVITATION. 


TI. TYPES OF PEOPLE TO BE REACHED 


N all soul-winning, we should realize that each per- 

son is led to accept Christ through the use of the 
word of God. ‘‘The gospel is the power of God unto 
salvation to every one that believeth’? (Rom. 1:16). 

The preacher is only a man offering the gospel 
message, and it is ours to use methods and helps that 
will make it easy for every individual to accept 
Christ. 

In consideration of this study we should keep in 
mind the kind of people to be reached. There are six 
typical cases, which practically cover the various 
conditions of mind and heart with which we are likely 
to meet. They are as follows: 

1. The Willing, but Ignorant. 

It is a strange fact that in every community there 
are some who know practically nothing of Chris- 
tianity. They are willing and ready. to become 
Christians, but woefully ignorant of the way of salva- 
tion. 

2. Those Lacking Conviction. 

This class of people is especially prominent in 


communities where personal evangelists have never 
221 


222 Evangelism 


been active. ‘‘These things have I written unto you, 
that ye may know that ye have eternal life, even 
unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God’’ 
(1 John 5:13). 

3. The Willfully Indifferent. 

This type presents the general condition to be 
met by nearly every personal evangelist. 

4, The Doubter. 

This type is not generally prominent. He will, 
however, require special attention. 

5. The Young Christian. 

This class must be led into full fellowship with 
Christ. 

6. Those Turning Back. 

It is astonishing how many people in a community 
have turned their backs upon God and wandered 
from Him. This class is frequently referred to as 
backsliders. 

Let the golden text of every worker be: ‘‘At an 
acceptable time I hearkened unto thee, and in a day 
of salvation did I succor thee: behold, now is the 
acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation”’ 
(2)Cor,)6:2), 

There is no more difficult piece of work in the 
ministry than bringing men to a decision for Christ. 
Before discussing the nature of the invitation, we 
simply must pause to emphasize the absolute necessity 
of thorough preparation in prosecuting it. 


II. PREPARATION FOR THE INVITATION 


General preparation should be made before the in- 
vitation is given. The whole church should get 


4° 
# 


Evangelasm 223 


ready for every invitation. Every member as well 
as the minister should prepare for the service. 

1. The Minister. 

The minister who does not prepare, must not ex- 
pect any return. If we would stir the community 
with mighty revival power, it is worth the minister’s 
time to stop and ask himself what he is willing to do ’ 
to bring it about. There is no use expecting great 
things without attempting great things. And so the 
value of the preparatory work of the minister can not 
be overestimated. 

(1) Prayer. The first essential is prayer. It is 
the greatest power in the world. The reason a minis- 
ter sometimes preaches an unsuccessful sermon is 
because the minister has neglected to pray. A sermon 
must originate and progress in prayer. 

(2) Concern for the unsaved. With heart-earnest 
effort to help the unsaved, the interested minister will 
help the unsaved on their way to God. He will know 
what texts to choose and what truths to emphasize. 

(3) The sermon. Paul says: ‘‘Preach the word; 
be urgent in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, ex- 
hort, with all longsuffering and teaching’’ (2 Tim. 4: 2). 
The minister who would win souls must preach the 
gospel of Christ. His supreme question, in the prepa- 
ration of his sermon, is, What must I preach to save 
men? His great task is to carry to men and women 
the story of the cross. Preach the whole scheme of 
redemption. 

2. The Choir. 

Much depends on a well-organized and well-trained 


ehoir. The leader must use great skill in order to 
15 


224 | Evangelism 


keep everything running smoothly. Clear, distinct 
enunciation is absolutely necessary in_ successful 
choir work. Each song should have a message. 
The song-leader and choir should understand the 
preacher’s methods. Grant all his requests, and co- 
operate with him in every way possible. 

3. The Membership: 

If evangelism is to find its proper expression, 
every church activity should be made an _ evan- 
gelistic agency, and every part and department of the 
local church work should be used to help the un- 
saved come to Christ. And whatever is accomplished 
in soul-winning at a church service depends, to a 
great extent, upon the work of the membership before 
the invitation song. 

If you wish to stand by your minister in the work 
of evangelism and assist him greatly in extending the 
invitation, do not, by your lives, contradict his preach- 
ing. There are several ways to aid in the preparation 
work. 

(1) Individual effort. When Dr. Beecher was ac- 
complishing such a successful evangelistic work in 
Boston, he was asked how it was that so many re- 
sponded to the invitation. He replied: ‘‘I preach on 
Sunday with all my power, and then I have four 
hundred church-members who go out and preach 
every day in the week.’’ If there is any one need, 
greater than another, for a successful invitation, it is 
a practice of just that kind. 

(2) Pray for minister. The Christian should pray 
for the minister as the agent of God breaks down 
sinners with the Word of truth. While the minister 


Evangelism 225 


preaches, you pray. This is more important than you 
can imagine. 

(3) House well ventilated. If the house is warm, 
the people, instead of listening to the truth, are fan- 
ning and panting for breath, and the train of thought 
and feeling is lost and the effort of the sermon is 
wasted. How important it is that the church should: 
be awake to the subject, that the minister may labor 
to the best advantage, and the people give their atten- 
tion to the truth which is to save their souls. 

(4) Members visit each other. The members of 
the church should visit each other and stir up each 
other, and provoke one another to love and good 
works. How can they work together in the winning 
of souls when they are not even acquainted with each 
other? 

(5) Watch for the effect of preaching. When 
Christians pray for the success of the preached Word, 
they will watch for the effect of the preaching. They 
should keep a sharp lookout, and when any one in the 
congregation gives evidence that the word of God 
has taken hold of him, they should follow it up. If 
the members do not do this, they neglect their duty. 

There are many other minor points to be noted. 
The principal thing to be remembered is that the 
response during the invitation song depends largely, if 
not altogether, upon the preparatory work. 


III, EXTENDING THE INVITATION 


1, The Sermon. 
The preacher should always remember that the 
simplicity of the gospel converts men. Paul says: 


226 Evangelism 


‘‘Preach the word’’ (2 Tim. 4:2). Peter declared on 
the day of Pentecost the Lordship of Jesus. If we 
are to stir the hearts of men, we must preach the 
Lordship of Jesus. Whatever the theme, the message 
should be told in tender love, leading up to the exhor- 
tation to accept Jesus as the Christ. Every sermon 
should be like the lawyer’s appeal before the jury on 
the last day of the trial. Life and death depend 
upon this last appeal. He pleads, with all his power, 
for acquittal. And what pleasure and satisfaction 
comes to his heart when he realizes that his client 
is acquitted. 

The preacher should put joy, hope, pardon, in 
every sermon. He should appeal to every man to 
free himself, through Jesus Christ, from the bondage 
of sin. Oh, what joy and happiness will come to the 
minister when he realizes that the sinner has been 
pardoned and saved. 

2. The Crisis. 

The invitation hymn immediately following the 
sermon is always the crisis in the work of winning 
souls. It is the critical moment in which frivolity in 
the choir, or inattention in the audience, will deter- 
mine, to a great extent, whether men and women 
will accept or reject Jesus. The conduct of the 
echurch-members and the singers will rum or greatly 
help the invitation. 

When the song of invitation is announced, every 
one in the audience should stand up immediately. 
Lazy church-members have ruined many invita- 
tions. No one should remain seated during the in- 
vitation except the feeble, who should be given side 


Evangelism 227 


seats or special section, so that they will not hinder 
those who desire to come to Christ. First of all, look 
after the annoying janitor, advise the very important 
usher, and quiet the babies. 

No one should leave the auditorium during the in- 
vitation. Ofttimes a thoughtless woman or careless 
man will bring defeat by going home or strolling about 
in the building just before or during the invitation. 
This will attract the attention of all, and usually 
divert the interest from the invitation song. 

In this great crisis, forget everything except the 
souls of men and women. Your only movement should 
be to help some one decide for Christ and His church. 

3. The Invitation Song. 

The first thing to be desired in the invitation song 
is that the entire congregation should heartily par- 
ticipate in it. When all of the people thus praise 
God in unison, it is possible that each should join with 
some real joy in soul-winning. The members of the 
ehureh will learn, if they are taught, to sing the in- 
vitation song with the spirit and with the understand- 
ing also. The organ and the choir, under good leader- | 
ship, can easily suggest to the people the tender ex- 
pressions and sentiment of the song. The invitation 
song must not be considered good when everybody 
sings, all the time, with all his might. There must be 
evidence that the members are thinking of the words 
of the song and are touched with their meaning. 

It is beautiful to see how a congregation will 
learn to follow such intelligent leadership and will 
come, after a little, to make the exhortation of the 
invitation song their own. The great value of this 


228 Evangelism 


part of the invitation service is thus indefinitely 
increased. 

4. Co-operation. 

The final success of the invitation depends upon 
the co-operation of the working forees of the church. 
The most glaring weakness in the average evangelistic 
effort to-day is the lack of real co-operation on the 
part of the membership. Let the members, the choir, 
the song-leader, the minister, not forget the value 
and purpose of co-operation. 


TEST QUESTIONS 


1. How many types of people to be reached? 

2. Name the types to be reached. 

3. In dealing with these typical cases, what should 
be kept in mind? 

4. Should general preparation be made before the 
invitation is given? 

93. State the value of the preparatory work of the 
minister. 

6. What is the first essential in preparation for the 
invitation ? 

7. Does the suceess of the invitation depend on a 
well-organized and well-trained choir? 

8. Does soul-winning at the church service depend 
upon the work of the membership? 

9. What are some of the main points to be noted 
in soul-winning? 

10. State the importance of the invitation song. 

11. What does the final success of the invitation 
depend upon? 


XVIII. 
HOW TO TAKE THE CONFESSION 


229 


OUTLINE STUDY XVIII. 


I. IMPORTANCE AND MEANING OF THE CONFESSION. 
1. In the Plan of Salvation. 
2. In the Life of the Convert. 
II. PREPARATION OF THE MINISTER. 
1. Need for Preparation. 
2. His Personal Preparation. 
III. PREPARATION OF THE AUDIENCE. 
1. Spiritual. 
2. Mental. 
IV. PREPARATION OF THE CANDIDATE. 
1. Must Appreciate the Place and Importance of the Step. 
2. A Necessary Distinction. 
V. CONFESSION SHOWN TO BE MORE THAN A FORMAL 
ACT OR MENTAL STATEMENT. 
1. Some Thinks to Be Guarded Against. 
(1) Formality. 
(2) Hurry. 
2. Some Things to Impress. 
(1) Christ Above All Else. 
(2) Belief with the Whole Heart. 
VI. ADMINISTRATION OF THE CONFESSION. 
1. The Form Used. 
2. Time to Be Given. 
3. Exceptional Cases. 
(1) Unimmersed Believer. 
(2) Other Places than the Church Service. 
4, Other Procedures. 


230 


XVIII. 
How to TAKE THE CONFESSION. 


I. IMPORTANCE AND MEANING OF THE 
CONFESSION 


N the three discussions following, ‘‘How to Take 

the Confession,’’ ‘‘How to Baptize,’’ and ‘‘How 
to Conduct the Communion Service,’’ we shall empha- 
size two things. We shall attempt to suggest ways by 
which their spiritual significance and impressiveness 
may be made more apparent, and by which all tenden- 
cies to carelessness or formality may be eliminated 
and the act made spiritually impressive. 

These three acts are public acts, witnessed by 
Christians and non-Christians, and in themselves con- 
tain a more eloquent message than any that can be 
delivered in words by the best preacher. This is true, 
provided, of course, that they are so administered as 
to bring out and not mar nor obscure the message they 
contain. 

In taking the confession, therefore, the first requi- 
site is a true appreciation, on the part of the minister, 
the candidate, and the audience, of the true and 
deeply spiritual significance of the confession. All 
must appreciate the place and importance of the 


confession. 
231 


232 Evangelism 


1. In the Plan of Salvation. 

We have been accused of not believing in con- 
version, because it appeared to the observer that, in 
merely walking forward and answering a question, there 
was little of spiritual import. This step means so 
much that, regardless of from what else we may take 
the time, time must be given to properly take the con- 
fession. We work many days to gain a confession, 
and then rush the confession through in a _half- 
minute as though it were of incidental consequence. 
We must take time to make all appreciate that this is 
a divinely appointed step. ‘‘Because if thou shalt 
eonfess with thy mouth Jesus as Lord, and shalt 
believe in thy heart that God raised him from the 
dead, thou shalt be saved: for with the heart man 
believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth 
confession is made unto salvation’’ (Rom 10:9, 10). 
Minister, candidate and people must appreciate and 
feel the significance of the fact that this is one of 
the four God-given steps in the divine plan of salva- 
tion. It is well to always take time to enumerate 
the steps and point out the place of confession in the 
gospel plan. 

2. In the Life of the Convert. 

The convert and all the people should be made to 
know the place which this act occupies in the life of 
the convert. It is one of four steps, the most signifi- 
cant and important that can be taken in a lifetime. 
It is the fork of the road, the turning of the ways. 
Let the candidate know the importance which Jesus 
Christ places on the confession. ‘‘Every one there- 
fore who shall confess me before men, him will I also 


Evangelism 233 


confess before my Father who is in heaven’’ (Matt. 
10:32). It is not out of keeping with this Scripture 
to say to the candidate: ‘‘While you are confessing 
the Saviour before men, He is confessing you before 
the Father in heaven.’’ 


II. PREPARATION OF THE MINISTER 


1. Need for Preparation. 

Bearing in mind that it is neither the number nor 
eloquence of our sermons that will count in the judg- 
ment-day, but who and how many are in Christ, why 
should so much time be given to sermon-building, 
and none at all to study and preparation for properly 
taking or administering the good confession? If we 
earefully prepare a half-dozen sermons with the 
specific purpose of leading one to confess Christ, 
why should we approach this sacred service with no 
preparation whatever? 

There is no Bible college or seminary that we 
know of but what gives courses in sermon-building, 
and there is none that we know of that gives actual 
training in hearing the good confession, baptizing or 
administering the Lord’s Supper. There is need for 
preparation and training along this line for the reason 
that a confession so heard as to give it its rightful 
importance, will be more impressive to the candidate 
and to the hearers than many sermons. 

2. The Minister’s Personal Preparation. 

The minister’s preparation consists in so impress- 
ing himself with the importance of this step in the 
scheme of the gospel and in the life of the one 
making the confession that he can not help but make 


234 Evangelism 


the ceremony impressive. His preparation should, 
therefore, be both mental and spiritual. By mental, 
we mean that he should know all the Scripture on the 
subject, and then should read everything he can 
find that is worth while on it. Also, he should pre- 
pare himself in mental bearing as he approaches the 
ceremony. . 


III. PREPARATION OF THE AUDIENCE 


1. Spiritual. 

Inasmuch as the divinely ordained steps in salva- 
tion are capable of teaching the most profound les- 
sons in the most impressive and lasting way, when so 
administered as to bring forth their full significance, 
one must keep in mind not only the act of the candi- 
date, but the effect upon the audience, and, especially, 
upon the unsaved in the audience. We believe time 
should always be taken for a brief word of prayer 
before the confession is taken. ‘‘And that every 
tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to 
the glory of God the Father’’ (Phil. 2:11). 

2. Mental. 

In a brief, well-prepared, impressive statement, 
much teaching can be given in few words. There 
is no teaching on baptism so impressive as a properly 
administered baptism. There is nothing so suggestive 
to a sinner, in regard to making the good confession, 
as an actual confession properly administered. It 
tends to reverence to ask the audience for bowed 
heads while the confession of Christ is being made. 
Carelessness in securing quietness, reverence and re- 
spect for sacred things, mars the whole effect. 


Evangelism 235 


IV. PREPARATION OF THE CANDIDATE 


1. Must Appreciate Importance of Step. 

Too much ean not be said on this subject. For the 
benefit of the audience and the benefit of the convert, 
he must be made to know and feel that what he is 
about to do is so important that Christ and the angels 
take heed. Christ says: ‘‘Every one who shall confess 
me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess 
before the angels of God’’ (Luke 12:8). 

2. Necessary Distinction. 

Both the candidate and the audience must be made 
to know the distinction between ‘‘confession of faith 
in Christ’’ and profession of religion. One is Scrip- 
tural, the other is a humanism that keeps many people 
back. It must be made plain that the one coming, 
comes to confess, not his goodness nor his religion, 
but to acknowledge his weakness and sin, and con- 
fess his total inability to save himself except through 
the Christ whom he comes to accept. 


V. THE CONFESSION SHOWN TO BE MORE 
THAN A FORMAL ACT OR MENTAL STATEMENT 


1. Some Things to Be Guarded Against. 

(1) Formality. The most sacred and significant 
things can lose both their sacredness and their signifi- 
cance, if so done as to come to have the effect of mere 
forms or formalities. Here is one of the things to 
be guarded as we would guard the very heart of the 
gospel. 

(2) Hurry. We must guard against the appear- 
ance of rush and hurry. Such is bound to lead to for- 


236 Evangelism 


mality and to the impression that the confession is a 
small matter, to be gotten out of the way as quickly 
as possible. 

2. Some Things to Impress. 

(1) Christ over all else. The one outstanding and 
impressive feature of the confession must be ‘‘ Jesus 
Christ, the Son of the ‘living God.’’ While it may be 
well to emphasize the courage or nobleness of the 
step taken by the candidate, this must not be done 
to the obscuration of the Christ whom he comes to 
accept and acknowledge. ‘‘ Whosoever shall confess 
that Jesus is the Son of God, God abideth in him, 
and he in God’’ (1 John 4:15). 

(2) Belief with the whole heart. This step means 
more than a mental statement of fact; it means 
acknowledgment and acceptance of the Christ with 
the whole heart; intellect, feeling and will; to know 
Him as the Son of God, to love Him as Saviour and 
to will to do His will as Master and Lord. Scriptural 
belief requires more than mere intellectual assent. 


VI. ADMINISTRATION OF THE CONFESSION 


1. The Form Used. 

Bearing in mind the truths mentioned above, the 
good confession will take on a new impressiveness 
and sacredness in the life of the minister, in the lives 
of those making the confession, and in the thought of 
the hearers. While the Scripture gives us the good 
confession, there is not a uniform or fixed wording. 
One quite generally used is, ‘‘My brother, do you 
believe with your whole heart that Jesus is the 
Christ, the Son of the living God, and your Saviour?’’ 


Evangelism 237 


2. Time to Be Given. 

It may occur to some that the suggestions made 
above can not be earried out without taking an 
amount of time that is simply not available. Per- 
sonally, we feel that too little time is always given to 
the good confession in proportion to the amount spent 
on many other things. Second, it will be found that, . 
with careful preparation, every one of these sugges- 
tions can be carried out with very little time used. 
Take time to do sacred things rightly. 

3. Exceptional Cases. 

(1) Unbaptized believers. The above suggestions 
have been made, having in mind the confession of the 
alien sinner in the public service. The question may 
arise, What is the procedure when one comes forward, 
having previously acknowledged and accepted Christ 
as Lord, but who has not been buried with Him in 
baptism? While it may be technically unnecessary 
to make the confession again, yet a bit of tact will 
suggest something as follows: ‘‘While there is no 
question raised as to the faith that has led the way 
hitherto, yet they who believe in Christ and love Him 
are always glad to proclaim their faith in Him, there- 
fore, just prior to your burial with Him in baptism, 
will you state publicly to all who are here, your faith 
in Him?’’ Then take the confession as usual. 

(2) Where the confession can not be taken at the 
ehurch nor by the minister. Here, again, all ought to 
know that there is Seripture and also abundant 
precedent for any Christian taking the good con- 
fession of any one anywhere, if need be. The ex- 
ample of the deacon Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch, 


238 Evangelism 


recorded in the eighth chapter of Acts, will perhaps 
suffice. 

4. Other Procedures. 

In great meetings where forty or fifty or a hun- 
dred come forward in one invitation, the question has 
arisen as to taking the confession in concert. Some 
are for this procedure; and some against it. One 
thing for it is, the avoidance of holding a large, and 
perhaps weary, audience for an undue length of time. 
The one thing against it is, that it does not seem 
to make the confession sufficiently individual. Where 
the confession is taken in concert it, of course, involves 
all who have come, whether by letter or statement 
or for confession. In case this is done, it is well to 
announce immediately that all who have come for- 
ward will now go immediately to the prayer-meeting 
room for prayer, further instruction, arrangements 
for their baptism, and the making of the records as 
to the step which each has taken. Where efficient and 
trained church officers assist in this work, the step of 
each one can thus be taken up and made very helpful 
and thoroughly individual. This also lends oppor- 
tunity for personal acquaintance, greeting and helpful 
suggestions. 


TEST QUESTIONS 


1. What are the two things to be emphasized in 
the study of how to administer the confession, bap- 
tism and the communion? 

2. Why should great care be used in performing 
these public acts? 

3. What is the first requisite? 


Evangelism 239 


4. Why should the confession be not hurried? 

5. What is the place and importance of the con- 
fession in the plan of salvation? 

6. What is the place and importance in the life of 
the convert? 

7. Why should the minister especially prepare for 
this service? 

8. How should the minister prepare? 

9. Why and how should the audience be prepared? 

10. What preparation should the convert have? 

11. Name two things to be guarded against in 
administering the confession. 

12. Name two things that must be especially im- 
pressed in the confession. 

13. Give a form which you would use in taking 
the confession. 

14. How can the confession be properly admin- 
istered in the time allotted? 

15. What of the confession of unbaptized believers 
or those who have been members of some church, but 
not immersed? 

16. Where and by whom may the confession be 
taken? 

17. Give methods of procedure with large number 
coming forward at one invitation. 


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XIX. 


HOW TO PERFORM A NEW TES- 
TAMENT BAPTISM 


OUTLINE STUDY XIX. 


I. REASONS FOR CAREFUL PREPARATION. 
1. It Is a Divine and Sacred Ordinance. 
2. It Is the Most Significant Step in the Life of the Convert. 
3. It Stands for the Most Tragic and the Most Triumphant 
Events in the Life of Our Lord. 
4, It Stands for the Solemn Burial of the Candidate. 
5. The Act Itself Is the Greatest Sermon on the Sacred 
Ordinance. » 
6. The Way in Which It Is Performed Determines Whether 
Its Message Is Made or Marred. 
7. Preparation Determines Ability to Administer. 
II. PREREQUISITES. 
1. The Minister Impressed with the Sacred Significance of 
the Act. 
2. The Candidate Impressed with the Real Meaning of the 
Act. 
3. The Audience Impressed that the Service Is a Sacred 
Burial. 
III. PREPARATION FOR THE PHYSICAL ACT OF THE 
BAPTISM. 
1. Robes and Robing-rooms. 
2. The Baptistery. 
3. The Assistants, 
IV. PREPARATION OF THE MINISTER. 
1. Spiritual. 
2. Mental. 
3. Physical. 
V. PREPARATION OF THE CANDIDATE. 
1. Spiritual. 
2. Physical. 
3. Mental. 
VI. PREPARATION OF THE AUDIENCE. 
VII. THE BAPTISMAL FORMULA. 
VIII. THE ACT OF BAPTIZING. 
. The General Error. 
. Manner of Holding Candidate. 
. Means of Avoiding Strangling. 
. Preserving the Beauty and Sacredness of the Act. 
242 


he 0 Ne 


AD. B.E 
How To PERFORM A New TESTAMENT BAPTISM. 


I. REASONS FOR CAREFUL PREPARATION 


1. Baptism Is a Divine and Sacred Ordinance. 

It is not a humanly appointed act or form. Jesus 
Christ Himself it was that said: ‘‘Teach all nations, 
baptizing them into the name of the Father and of 
the Son and of the Holy Spirit.’? That which is done 
by the direct command of Christ, and in the name of 
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, is the most 
solemn and sacred possible, and deserves and demands 
the strictest reverence and solemnity. He who looks 
upon it as a form of formality has never caught the 
first glimpse of its sacred significance and deep 
meaning. 

2. Baptism Is the Most Significant Step in the 
Life of the Convert. 

‘“‘For as many of you as were baptized into 
Christ did put on Christ’? (Gal 3:27). ‘‘There is 
therefore now no condemnation to them that are in 
Christ Jesus’’ (Rom. 8:1). There can be no step more 
significant than being born to everlasting life. He 
who administers baptism, therefore, has no right to 
take away from, mar, nor allow to be obscured, the 


sacred significance of this divinely appointed act. 
243 


244 Evangelism 


3. It Stands for the Most Tragic and the Most 
Triumphant Events in the Life of Our Lord. 

The most tragic event in the life of the world was 
the death and burial of the Lord, and the most trium- 
phant event in all the world was His resurrection. 
Without these, all hope vanishes, and with them, hope 
has no limits except the limit of assurance. These 
lie at the absolute foundation of Christianity. Take 
these away, and there is not a claim for Christianity 
that can stand. Baptism, standing for these things, 
must be so performed as to be in keeping with the 
things for which it stands. 

4, It Stands for the Solemn Burial of the Candi- 
date. 

(1) The baptistery typifies and stands for the grave 
of the Lord Himself. ‘‘We were buried therefore 
with him through baptism into death’’ (Rom. 6:4). 
We should, therefore, teach old and young to have 
respect for that which stands for the grave of the 
Lord. Hence, the inadvisability of a baptistery so 
placed that we walk and tramp carelessly over it 
and perpetrate other indignities. 

(2) Baptism signifies in the life of the candidate: 
Burial to the old life out of Christ, and resurrection 
to the new life in Christ; burial to the old life without 
promise, and resurrection to the new life with all 
God’s promises; burial to the old life unforgiven, and 
resurrection to the new life forgiven and redeemed; 
burial to the old life out of the kingdom, and resur- 
rection to the new life in the kingdom; burial to the 
old life of disobedience and sin, and resurrection to 
the new life of obedience and service; burial to the 


Hvangelism 245 


old life with death as its end and the grave as its 
goal, and resurrection to the new life with eternal 
life as its reward and heaven as its goal. 

5. The Act Itscif Is the Greatest Sermon on the 
sacred Ordinance. 

There is no sermon so eloquent on the subject of 
Christian baptism as a properly performed baptism. . 
With the Scriptures on the subject being quoted 
while a baptism is being so performed as to bring out 
the sacredness, the beauty and the significance of the 
act, unbaptized men are impressed, and, perhaps, 
persuaded, to thus obey Him, as they could not be by 
any human oratory or argument. 

6. The Way in Which It Is Performed Determines 
Whether Its Message Is Made or Marred. 

If a baptism is so earelessly or unskillfully per- 
formed as to appear to be a ‘‘ducking’’ instead of 
a solemn burial, then shall we blame the irreverent, 
or shall we blame ourselves, for the impression that 
has been made and which they reveal when they call 
it a ‘‘ducking’’? 

If the impression is left that it is a silly act of 
fanatics instead of a sacred and significant act of 
obedience, is it not because of failure to properly 
prepare the minds of the beholders? 

If the impression is left that it is a foolish spec- 
tacle, disgusting and even immodest, rather than a 
most beautiful and sacred act of deepest significance 
and piety, is it not because of carelessness? 

7, The Answer Lies in the Care of Preparation. 

The solution of the problems mentioned above lies 
in easy reach. It consists in most careful prepara- 


246 Evangelism 


tion—spiritual, mental and physical—of the minister, 
the candidate and the audience. 


II. PREREQUISITES 


1. The Minister Impressed with the Sacred Signifi- 
cance of the Act. 

The minister must be thoroughly impressed that a 
baptism is a serious and sacred burial. While bap- 
tism is the fulfillment of a command, it is more than 
that. It is a burial. While baptism may be and is 
the fourth and consummating step in becoming a 
Christian, it is something more than merely the next 
necessary step. It is a solemn burial ‘‘with Christ.’’ 
The minister must not only know this, but he must 
ever keep it in mind. 

2. The Candidate Impressed with the Real Mean- 
ing of the Act. 

The candidate must be thoroughly impressed that 
baptism is a serious and sacred burial, and not mere 
conformity to a congregation’s customs. 

3. The Audience Impressed that the Service Is a 
Sacred Burial. 

The audience must be thoroughly impressed that 
baptism is a serious and solemn burial done under the 
direct command of the Son of God, and demands the 
strictest of reverence and most profound respect. 


Til. PREPARATION FOR THE PHYSICAL ACT 
OF BAPTISM 


1. Robes and Robing-rooms. 
Regardless of the size of the chureh, provision 
should be made for convenient and decent robing 


Evangelism 247 


facilities. No church of Christ is complete with these 
omitted. Robes are most advisable. One advantage 
is that they enable many a baptism to be performed 
immediately after the confession, which is better than 
putting the matter off for convenience. Again, they 
eliminate the tendency to undue display in the mat- 
ter of clothing. Again, they make all candidates ’ 
appear the same, and thus leave a bit of Scriptural 
lesson by suggestion. Again, they make it much 
more possible to immerse ladies without any chance of 
any untoward happening tending to embarrassment. 
Again, they make provision so that the minister may 
know that all are properly robed without leaving any- 
thing to the inexperience and unwisdom of the candi- 
dates. These robes, in sufficient quantities, can be 
easily prepared by the ladies of the church at only 
the cost of material. 

A suggestion is here offered for baptisms per- 
formed in open pools, rivers, ete. Let the minister 
provide himself with a long, sleeveless cape with a 
clasp at the throat. This must be made of thin, rub- 
ber-filled material, incapable of absorbing water. This 
is in addition to his own personal equipment. The 
neckband can be clasped about the minister’s neck 
while going out. Immediately upon raising the candi- 
date up, the cape can be unclasped and placed about 
the candidate before starting from the water. Being 
non-absorbing, the cape will not cling, and will pre- 
vent all embarrassment due to clinging robes. 

2. The Baptistery. 

(1) Location and arrangement. As _ suggested 
above, the baptistery should be so located that, as a 


248 Evangelism 


grave for burial, it will not be tramped or stamped 
upon. It should be a prominent feature in every 
church of Christ. It should be as ever present to the 
vision as the communion table. It should be beauti- 
ful and suggestive of that for which it stands. 

(2) The water. Apparently, small details some- 
times have great bearing. A careless janitor who is 
not thoroughly impressed with the importance of 
baptizing properly may easily make an error that 
will annul all that the minister may have been able 
to teach on the sacredness of baptism in months. The 
water should be flesh warmth, tempered with a ther- 
mometer, and not left to guesses. In depth it should 
be slightly above the knees of the average-sized man. 
By all means it should be clean. Baptism stands for 
a cleansing. 

(3) Baptistery approach. There are two impor- 
tant and sometimes overlooked matters in regard to 
the baptistery approach. Too frequently the approach 
is long, narrow, winding, inconvenient and ugly. To 
get to the baptistery, one would feel that he was 
following the crooked way to darker regions. These 
errors should be eliminated where possible. 

The other matter is that the approach should be 
such that curtains can be used, concealing the can- 
didate and the minister from the audience until the 
candidate is down in the water. Some very urgent 
reasons for this will appear in the paragraph on 
‘‘Preparation of the Candidate.”’ 

3. The Assistants. 

The matter of assisting the minister and assisting 
the candidates in preparation for baptism should not 


Evangelism 249 


be left to any one and every one. There should be 
men and women specially instructed and regularly 
appointed for this work. These men and women 
should know and appreciate that baptism is a sacred 
burial, and should be capable of leading in prayer and 
in conversation, while preparing the candidates, that 
would help the candidates to appreciate the meaning 
of the ordinance. 


IV. PREPARATION OF THE MINISTER 


1. Spiritual. 

The minister must have an appreciation of the 
holiness of the task which he is about to perform. A 
thorough, Scriptural knowledge of the meaning, place 
and significance of baptism is absolutely essential to 
any proper spiritual preparation. It also seems hardly 
possible for one to be prepared to perform an act so 
sacred without prayer, earnest and devout. 

2. Mental. 

To properly perform a baptism, the administrator 
must be in absolute and perfect mental command of 
himself. He must throw off the thousand and one 
other things that may distract him at times, and give 
his whole heart and mind to the one thing. 

The minister must be in perfect command of him- 
self mentally, because the responsibility of perform- 
ing the act rightly and sacredly is entirely his re- 
sponsibility. It is little less than sacrilegious to do 
a bungling job of that which is sacred. He must 
also be in perfect command of himself, because his 
mental poise and assuredness will have everything to 
do with the mental calmness and general performance 


250 Evangelism 


of the candidate. Perhaps more errors, made in bap- 
tizing, are due to a bit of mental excitement and lack 
of complete mental poise on the part of the minister 
than to any other one cause. 

3. Physical... 

No minister has a right to distract the attention 
from the sacredness of a baptism, nor cheapen its 
appearance by ridiculous dress. We saw one devout © 
and worthy college professor perform a country bap- 
tism. He was attired in a pair of plow-shoes, a pair 
of too-short overalls, with a red handkerchief tied 
about his neck and a large straw hat on his head. 
No one who witnessed that baptism ever forgot it, 
but the things remembered were not the right things. 
It were better had he ruined the only good suit of 
clothes he had, than to have left the impression of 
Christian baptism that he did. We here suggest that 
every one who expects to do any baptizing should 
appreciate its sacredness enough that he would honor 
it with decent attire. We suggest that a loose-flow- 
ing robe, similar to a college gown, is easy and in- 
expensive to provide, convenient to don, and con- 
venient in use. It conceals the bulging rubber suit 
where used. If ordinary clothes are used, they should 
be such as to show proper respect for the occasion. 
In other words, this is a necessary part of the equip- 
ment. 


V. PREPARATION OF THE CANDIDATE 


1. Spiritual. 
Those about to be baptized should be made, so 
far as possible, to appreciate the deep and sacred 


Evangelism 251 


significance of the act. The attitude of the minister 
and assistants will do much along this line. Loud 
and light talk while dressing should be quietly pre- 
vented. Levity is entirely out of place, but will occur 
frequently unless the assistants prevent it by lead- 
ing the conversation in the right lines. A prayer by 
the minister with the whole group who are to be bap- 
tized is advisable. In many places elders always kneel 
in prayer with the candidates in the robing-rooms 
before they go to the baptistery. 

2. Physical. 

While the mistake of improper attire will not 
occur often, it will at times. One time is once too 
often. Therefore, all candidates for baptism should 
always be placed in charge of some one whose duty 
it is to instruct them as to their needs along this line, 
and assist in seeing that each candidate is properly 
prepared. The oversight of a pin may do irreparable 
harm. Again we suggest that every church should be 
equipped with a sufficient supply of properly made 
robes, kept in charge by a lady whose special duty it 
is to look after this work. 

3. Mental. 

By this we refer especially to the state of mind 
of the candidate. Some will be in a state of bravado, 
others in a state of painful timidity and fear. It is 
a part of the minister’s task to know how to eliminate 
these mental conditions. His own perfect calm and 
self-possession will help. Quiet words of instruc- 
tion, occupying the candidates’ attention, will help. 
Take plenty of time. Go slow. Let them get accus- 
tomed to the temperature of the water. Ask them to 


252 Evangelism 


dip up a bit of the water and bathe their own faces 
in it. Instruct them and show them exactly how 
you want them to hold your wrist, how they are to 
handle themselves. Ask them to leave the matter 
entirely to you, as it is very easy. In case of very 
heavy people, assure them they need have no fear of 
your ability to raise them up, as they only weigh 
twenty pounds when under the water, etc., ete. 

All this can be done in a half-minute, and the 
time is well spent. All this should be done after 
down in the water, but yet concealed by the baptistery 
curtains, which are essential for this very reason. 
Be sure that they and you are thoroughly ready before 
proceeding. 


VI. PREPARATION OF THE AUDIENCE 


The minister can usually be ready for the bap- 
tismal service before the candidates, and the time can 
well be spent in preparing the audience. Standing 
in the baptistery, the minister can read or quote the 
Scriptures on baptism, offer a prayer and give a few 
words of instruction. 

Among other things, almost every audience needs 
to be told plainly, but sweetly, that a baptism is not 
a spectacle, but a sacred service, a burial service, and 
demands the greatest reverence. They should be in- 
structed that every one must be seated and that dur- 
ing the entire service there must not be one word 
spoken, even in a whisper. All this helps the audi- 
ence to appreciate the meaning of the act. 

At a baptism in an open stream, all should be in- 
duced to get out of their conveyances, assemble in one 


Evangelism 253 


group, and remove their hats during a preparatory 
word and prayer. This will soon educate a whole 
neighborhood to respect for the service. 


VII. THE BAPTISMAL FORMULA 


While the essence of the formula is always the 
same, there is not a universally used formula. The 
following is a good form that has wide usage: ‘‘ And 
now, upon your confession of faith in Jesus Christ, 
and by His authority, I baptize you, my brother, 
John Brown, into the name of the Father and of the 
Son and of the Holy Spirit.’’ 

Many do not use the name of the candidate, but 
it has these advantages: It calls the candidate’s 
attention to his own act, and impresses it as indi- 
vidual. Where a large number are coming into the 
church, it enables the record-keeper to take the name 
of each as he is baptized, and thus keep the 
records perfectly. In addition, it helps keep the 
audience in a happy and undisturbed frame of mind, 
from the fact that each one thus knows who is being 
baptized, without any worry or wondering or the ten- 
dency to whisper and ask some one. This is especially 
true where gowns and caps are used upon the eandi- 
dates. These make them more difficult to recognize 
from the audience. 


VIII. THE ACT OF BAPTIZING 


If the minister, the candidate and the audience 
thoroughly appreciate that the act to be performed is 
a burial, a sacred burial in semblance of the burial 
of the Lord Jesus Christ, and if the act is performed 


254. _ Evangelism 


with that in mind, it will be rightly performed, and 
carry its message to the candidate and all present. 

1. The One General Error Is Haste. 

The one instruction is ‘‘go slow.’’ If the minister 
hurries, it will tend to excite or frighten the candi- 
date. Every move should be deliberate. The ecandi- 
date is probably under the impression, since he is 
voing to have his face under the water, that he will 
be without breath over-long. Very often the min- 
ister is thinking of the same. Bear in mind that, even 
though you baptize as slowly as possible and dip the 
candidate deeply, yet even then the face will be 
under water only a fraction of the time that any one 
is capable of holding the breath. Any sudden move 
or thrust, however, is liable to make him catch 
his breath and strangle. Water too cold or too hot 
will do the same. 

When the baptismal formula has been pronounced, 
let the candidate back very slowly, remembering 
that it is a burial you are performing. Some minis- 
ters go slowly until just as the head is near the 
water, then make a sudden plunge and withdrawal. 
This is a serious mistake. Go slowly all the way down 
and all the way up. Bury the candidate deeply. 
These suggestions are based on experience in thou- 
sands of baptisms. 

2. Manner of Holding Candidate. 

While there are many ways, there is no perfect 
one. The one point is to cause the candidate to have 
perfect confidence in the minister, and the minister to 
have perfect control of the candidate. Therefore, 
precaution should be taken to accomplish two things: 


Evangelism 255 


The candidate’s hands must be under control to pre- 
vent their lashing out to catch at the minister’s gar- 
ments, and the nose must be protected from the rush 
of water as the face submerges. 

3. Means of Avoiding Strangling. 

Use two cloths the size of men’s handkerchiefs. 
Place one cloth in the front of your robe where easily 
secured when needed. Hold the other in the left 
hand, so as to cover both the back and palm of the 
hand. With the left forearm pointing upward in 
front of the candidate, ask him to grasp your wrist 
with both his hands, locking his fingers together on 
the back of your wrist and clasping his thumbs on 
the front. Instruct the candidate to grip and hold 
your wrist tightly. The locked fingers will prevent 
his losing his hold, and his grasp will give him assur- 
ance and assist you to raise him. 

After pronouncing the baptismal formula, place 
the right hand on the back of candidate’s neck, move 
your left foot well to the right to preserve balance, 
and very slowly lower the candidate, remembering 
that it is a burial you are performing. 

Just as the face submerges, press the palm of 
your hand tightly on the candidate’s mouth and grip 
his nose shut between your middle fingers. The 
handkerchief conceals this action. 

By all means do not speed your movement at this 
time. The sudden thrust and consequent splash will 
cause the candidate to gasp and strangle. Bury 
deeply, and raise the candidate slowly. Immediately 
use the extra cloth to remove water from candidate’s 


face. 
17 


256 Evangelism 


4. Preserving the Beauty and Sacredness of the 
Act. 

See that the candidates still go slowly from the 
baptistery. Step immediately behind them, facing 
them until they are handed to the assistants. 

If this is practiced, strangling will be avoided, 
splashing will be avoided, the appearance of throw- 
ing the candidate into the water will be avoided, and 
harmful impressions will be avoided. Above all, a 
sacred service will have been made sacred, beautiful 
and impressive. All present will have been taught a 
lesson in reverence for sacred things. 


TEST QUESTIONS 


1. Give seven reasons for careful preparation to 
perform a Christian baptism. 

2. Name three prerequisites to the administration 
of baptism. 

3. Name three phases of the minister’s prepara- 
tion. 

4. How may the minister be spiritually prepared? 

5. What should constitute the minister’s mental 
preparation ? 

6. Why should the minister take exceeding care 
as to his attire? 

7. Give some suggestions as to robes and robing 
of candidates. 

8. Name and discuss three important details in re- 
gard to the baptistery. 

9. What of assistants to the baptizer? 

10. How may the candidates be prepared spirit- 
ually ? 


Evangelism 257 


11. How may provision be made for the physical 
preparation of the candidate? 

12. How and why should the candidate be men- 
tally prepared? 

13. Suggest ways of preparing the audience. 

14. Repeat the baptismal formula. 

15. What of the use of the candidate’s name? 

16. What is the one most prevalent error in bap- 
tizing? How avoid? 

17. Discuss ways of holding the candidate. 

18. How may strangling be avoided? 

19. Name ways to preserve the beauty of the ser- 
vice. 


ci 


1h, 





XX. 


HOW TO CONDUCT THE COM- 
MUNION SERVICE 


259 


OUTLINE STUDY XxX. 


I. WHY THE COMMUNION SERVICE MUST BE MOST 
CAREFULLY CONDUCTED. 
1. Because of Its Sacred and Spiritual Meaning. 
(1) It Stands for the Most Tragic Event in the Life 
of the Lord> 
(2) It Tells of the One and Only Hope for Sinful Men. 
(3) Its Message Is Spiritual and to the Hearts of Men. 
2. Because It Is Possible for the Observance to Drift into 
Formality and Lose its Sacred Significance. 
(1) The Fact of Physical Emblems Involves Possibility 
of Formalism. 
(2) A Sacred Ordinance Becoming Formal Mars and 
Desecrates It. 
II. NEED FOR KEEN AND CONSTANT APPRECIATION OF 
THE SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE AND MEBES- 
SAGE OF THE COMMUNION SERVICE. 
1. Need on the Part of Those Conducting the Service. 
2. Need for Preparing the Participants. 
III. PLACE AND IMPORTANCE OF THE COMMUNION 
SERVICE AMONG OTHER FEATURES OF WOR- 
SHIP AND SERVICE. 
1. The First and Central Purpose of the Lord’s Day 
Meeting. 
2. Not Only Scripturally Important, but an Important Fea- 
ture of the Plea. 
3. Making the Service so Effective that Christians Will Not 
Miss It. 
4, Making the Communion Service to Satisfy and Edify 
the Souls of Christians without the Help of a Sermon. 
5. The Australian Plan. 
IV. WHO SHOULD CONDUCT THE COMMUNION SERVICE. 
1. The Elders. 
2. The Elders and Minister. 
3. Others than Elders or Ministers. 
V. ORDER WITHOUT FORMALITY. 
260 


DOM 
How to Conpuct THE COMMUNION SERVICE. 


I. WHY THE COMMUNION SERVICE MUST BE 
MOST CAREFULLY CONDUCTED 


1. Because of Its Sacred and Spiritual Meaning. 

Because of its sacred and spiritual meaning the 
communion service must be most carefully conducted. 
If not, it may degenerate into a mere formal obser- 
vance of a form and lose its whole deep message and 
spiritual power. 

(1) It stands for the most tragic event in the life 
of the Lord—His crucifixion and death. ‘‘As oft as 
ye do this ye show my death.’’ It is a memorial, a 
monument to the Christ, and contains an inefface- 
able inscription telling the story of His death and 
suggesting why. 

It is the most practical monument that could be 
builded to Him, for the reasons that it is a monu- 
ment the inseription on which can never be effaced, 
and a monument on which every Christian may look 
the first day of each week. 

Had a monument to Christ been builded of gran- 
ite or bronze on Golgotha Hill, only a few Christians 
could have looked upon it, and they, perhaps, only 


once in a lifetime. Before now, time would have 
261 


262 Evangelism 


effaced the inscription. As it is, the inscribed story 
is written in the bread and the wine, never to be 
erased or dimmed, and it is a monument so practical 
that every Christian, whether in Africa or America, 
ean look upon the monument and read its inscribed 
story on the first day of each week. 

To look upon Bunker Hill monument and read its 
inscription, stirs again and anew the blood of patri- 
otism. To look upon the monument to Christ and 
really read its inscription understandingly, can not 
but stir again and anew the pulse-beat of Christian 
faith. 

(2) It tells of the one and only hope for sinful men. 
If it merely told of one hope, the matter might not be 
so important, but when it tells of the only hope, then 
its importance is beyond measure. Ink-stains on 
white linen may be removed by certain acids, but 
there is no acid that can remove sin-stain. The blood 
of Christ alone can do that. ‘‘The blood of Jesus his 
Son cleanseth us from all sin’’ (1 John 1:7). The 
wine is the reminder of that fact to every Christian 
on every Lord’s Day. 

(3) Its message is spiritual and to the hearts of 
men. If that spiritual message does not show forth 
and get to the hearts of men, then the communion ser- 
vice has been marred, its message obscured, and its 
sacredness made carnal. 

2. Because It Is Possible for the Observance to 
Drift into a Formality and Lose Its Spiritual Sig- 
nificance. 

(1) The fact that a regularly performed physical 
act is involved, lends a tendency to formalism. We 


Evangelism 263 


have heard fairly well-informed members of churches 
of Christ refer to baptism and the communion ser- 
vice as ‘‘the formal part of Christianity.’’ If we 
neither see nor show anything but forms in these acts, 
we have neither seen nor shown the first beginnings 
of that for which they stand. 

(2) When the sacred ordinances become formali- 
ties they are both marred and desecrated. If a young 
man has committed a crime, the penalty for which 
is death, and if his mother should step forward and 
offer and be permitted to pay that penalty for him, 
and if then she were buried in the home churchyard 
and a monument were erected bearing the inscribed 
story, if then, that son should come scrupulously 
once each year on the anniversary of her death and 
punctiliously shed exactly two tears upon the grave, 
‘“Just formally,’’ would not this act be devoid of all 
but the most revolting heartlessness? Would not both 
his act and his life be totally void of love, devotion, 
appreciation, goodness, contrition or any other worth- 
while quality? The application of this illustration 
should be borne in mind by any one who conducts a 
communion service. 


II. NEED FOR KEEN AND CONSTANT APPRE- 
CIATION OF THE SPIRITUAL SIGNIFI- 
CANCE AND MESSAGE OF THE COM- 
MUNION SERVICE 


1. Need on the Part of Those Conducting the 
Service. 

With the exception of some who are well grounded 
in the inner things of the gospel, a large part of each 


264 Evangelism 


audience will depend on those conducting the service 
for their spiritual appreciation and valuation of 
the service. Merely to be able to go through the 
form of the service, patterning after the procedure 
observed in some one else, should not be thought to be 
satisfactory preparation to administer the communion 
service. Any one ¢Ghosen to conduct the communion 
service, that is to say, elected as an elder or chosen 
as a minister, should certainly so appreciate the 
honor and responsibility that he would prepare most 
conscientiously both in mind and in heart, in life and 
in deed. There are many of our ministers that now 
as carefully prepare for each communion service as 
for the sermon. 

2. Need for Preparing the Audience. 

Bearing in mind the truths discussed in the first 
section of this lesson, it will be apparent that the 
minds and hearts of the people in the audience must 
be prepared if they are to receive the spiritual food 
from the communion service that our Lord meant they 
should receive. Merely to constantly repeat a set 
ritualistic formula, even though composed almost en- 
tirely of Scripture verses on the subject, eventually 
loses its effectiveness. Whatever facts and truths, 
Seriptures and illustrations will help all to ‘‘be in 
the spirit’’ of ‘‘communion with the Lord,’’ should be 
carefully thought out and prepared. Whatever will 
be conducive to real self-examination and consecra- 
tion, and drive away the two evils of formality and 
mind-wandering indifference, is both helpful and 
worthy to be sought after diligently. Prepare this 
thought as carefully as you would the sermon. 


——— 


eS ee 


Evangelism 265 


Ill, PLACE AND IMPORTANCE OF THE COM- 
MUNION SERVICE AMONG OTHER FEA- 
TURES OF WORSHIP AND SERVICE 


1. Practically All Admit It to Be the First and 
Central Purpose of the Lord’s Day Meeting. 

Practically all our people, ministers and others, 
admit and constantly say that the communion ser- 
vice is the central and main purpose and feature of 
the Lord’s Day meeting, but do we actually make it 
stand out as such? Would a rank stranger gather 
that impression without being told, if he should visit 
our morning services from the beginning of the Bible 
school? In discussing the subject ‘‘How to Conduct 
the Communion Service,’’ we would ‘say, ‘‘Conduct 
it so that it will occupy actually that place of promi- 
nence and effectiveness that we assign to it theoretic- 
ally.’’ If as a people we do not know how to do this, 
then it is time we should begin to study the subject 
most contritely. 

The fact that ministers and others prepared 
specially, each week, for the preaching, and did not 
prepare specially each week for the communion ser- 
vice, had two results: The communion service lost 
its actual power and effectiveness until it was tacitly 
admitted that the people would not come unless 
drawn by the eloquence of the minister. The com- 
munion, in actual practice, was being rendered sec- 
ondary and incidental, while yet, in theory, primary 
and fundamental. The second result was naturally 
that the communion had been more or less obscured 
by the preaching. We are not here arguing merely 


266 Evangelism 


that more time should be given to the conduct of a 
poorly conducted and ineffective communion and less 
time to the preaching, but that ways must be found 
to conduct the communion so that it shall stand out 
in actual power and attractiveness, greater than any 
other feature of the morning service. 

2. Not Only. Scripturally Important, but an Im- 
portant Feature of the Plea. 

One of the great denominational leaders said: 
“Alexander Campbell was wise enough to reach out 
and put his finger upon this beautiful ordinance and 
give it a central place of importance in the movement 
which he led.’’ In our plea to win the world to 
Christ by restoring the New Testament chureh, in 
doctrine, ordinances and fruits, as the basis of union 
of Christ’s forces, we dare not stop anywhere with 
the letter, but must restore the great ordinances, not 
only in form, but in power. When we have done this, 
the communion service will be one of the greatest 
sources of strength to the plea. 

3. Making the Service So Effective that Christians 
Will Not Miss It. 

We no doubt may labor with indifferent results 
so long as we teach people that to attend the com- 
munion service is only a ‘‘privilege’’ or even a 
‘‘duty.’’ The world is so fertile with apparent 
privileges and apparent duties that people become 
somewhat dulled to both at times. These features 
should continually be taught, but to this we should 
take care to add such attractiveness and spiritual 
power that, whatever other services Christians may 
miss, they will not miss the communion service, 


Evangelism 267 


4, Making the Communion to Satisfy and Edify 
the Souls of Christians without the Help of a Set 
Sermon. 

At present, and in most cases, it must be frankly 
admitted that the communion service, as ordinarily 
conducted, does not seem to satisfy the large number 
of church-members. They seem to have to have the 
sermon by the employed, professional minister. How- 
ever, that does not mean that there is not the edify- 
ing and soul-satisfying power in the communion. It 
merely means we have not brought it out. When 
Christians come to look upon the communion as did 
President Garfield, ‘‘as an appointment with the 
Lord,’’ which he would not break for any other 
appointment on earth, we shall have begun to 
approach a solution. We will do well to remember 
the Seripture: ‘‘And when he had given thanks, he 
brake it, and said, This is my body, which is for you: 
this do in remembrance of me. In like manner also 
the cup, after supper, saying, This cup is the new 
covenant in my blood: this do, as often as ye drink 
it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this 
bread, and drink the cup, ye proclaim the Lord’s 
death till he come. Wherefore whosoever shall eat 
the bread or drink the cup of the Lord in an un- 
worthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the 
blood of the Lord. But let a man prove himself, and 
so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup. 
For he that eateth and drinketh, eateth and drinketh 
judgment unto himself, if he discern not the body. 
For this cause many among you are weak and sickly, 
and not a few sleep’’ (1 Cor. 11: 24-30). 


268 Evangelism 


5. The Australian Plan. 

Our Australian brethren follow a plan for the 
morning service that is worthy of mention in this 
connection. They frankly make the communion ser- 
vice the main feature of the morning service, in 
charge of carefully trained elders. Aside from the 
elders in charge at the table, there are also, on the 
right and on the left, two young men assisting and 
in training for future service. One reads a passage 
from the Old Testament, the other a passage from 
the New Testament, and the elders then proceed with 
the service. The employed minister is not expected 
to be present at this service, except incidentally. He 
is expected to be out as an evangelist of the Word, 
earrying the Word to other fields. In the evening 
service he is back to evangelize in his home pulpit. 
If this were done in America, it would help to restore 
the communion service to its place and power, and 
would, in addition, relieve about five thousand min- 
isters for one service each Lord’s Day as missionary- 
evangelists to evangelize the unreached. 


IV. WHO SHOULD CONDUCT THE COMMUNION 
SERVICE? 


1, The Elders. 

From both Scriptural and practical grounds, it is 
usually deemed fitting that the elders should conduct 
the service. However, we know of no more reason 
why they should exclusively conduct the service than 
that they should exclusively do the baptizing, which 
is usually done by the minister. If the fact, that the 
local elders always conduct this service, lends a 


Evangelism 269 


tendency for them to feel that this is their whole 
duty as elders, and that conducting this service re- 
lieves them of the responsibility of equipping them- 
selves for being teachers of the Word and kindly, con- 
scientious guardians of the flock, then this exclusive- 
ness has resulted wrongly. 

Also, if the presumption that being an elder en- 
titles one to lord it over the communion, without con- 
scientious preparation to make the communion the 
sacred and effective service that it should be, then 
the custom has resulted badly. 

Practically, it is a good thing for the elders to be 
trained to care for this service properly and effec- 
tively, so that there may be no need for break in the 
service of worship, with the coming and going of the 
employed ministers. Also, it is a good arrangement 
if it may finally result in proper care for the home 
work, so that the minister may be sent to preach the 
gospel to the needy while the communion service, 
properly conducted, preaches the Word with power 
at the home church. 

2. Elders and Ministers. 

In some of our best churches, a very beautiful 
and earefully wrought-out plan of co-operation of 
the minister and elders in the communion service is 
used. Space will not permit detailed description here, 
but where the minister is always present, we believe 
that he, with the elders, should give definite time 
every week to planning for the conduct of the com- 
munion service on the following Sunday. Prayer, 
study and planning every week will not only develop 
an appreciation for the beauty and power of the com- 


270 Evangelism 


munion, but will most surely discover ways to bring 
it to its rightful place of prominence, power and 
effectiveness among the various features of the 
ehurch life. 

3. Others than Elders or Ministers. 

Just as in the case of baptism, so also in the case 
of the communion, it may be conducted, in ease of 
necessity, by others. If no regular elder or minister 
can be present, there is no reason why any group of 
disciples, regardless of how small the group, should 
forego the breaking of bread. Some one of their 
number may and should be appointed to take charge, 
and the Lord should be remembered on the Lord’s 
Day, in the Lord’s appointed way, by His disciples, 
wherever they may be and however few they may be. 
It is much better that in conscientious love, a humble 
band of disciples should so remember their Lord on 
the Lord’s Day, though it be done stumblingly and 
haltingly and far from the way here suggested, than 
that they should neglect it. However, this is not 
intended to suggest that those who are regularly 
chosen to conduct this service should longer conduct 
it without most prayerful preparation to do full honor 
to the sacred service. 


V. ORDER WITHOUT FORMALITY 


As a closing thought we add the suggestion of 
need for care, that in seeking order we do not degen- 
erate into formality. There must be order. Disorder 
and reverence can scarcely go hand in hand. How- 
ever, that order which is secured by practically driv- 
ing the young out of the service is the order of death, 


Evangelism 211 


rather than the order of reverence. Strive for rever- 
ence, respect and appreciation, and order in the 
audience will be secured, many times the best order 
from the youngest members. Careful, continual 
planning will conduce to order in the administration 
by the deacons and elders. 

When it is seen that the striving after order in 
conducting the service gives the faintest suggestion 
of stiff or cold ritualistic formality, then care must 
be immediately taken to bring back the warm glow 
of soul-touching spiritual life. 


TEST QUESTIONS 


1. Give two good reasons for most careful conduct 
of the communion service. 

2. Give three reasons why its spiritual significance 
should be made plain. 

3. Why is there a tendency to formal observance? 

4. Why must formalism be avoided? 

5. State reasons for the need of a keen apprecia- 
tion of the spiritual significance of the communion. 

6. Why need the audience be specially prepared? 

7. Show how communion takes central place in 
services. 

8. Show its importance to the plea. 

9. Why should it be made a drawing feature? 

10. Why should it be made to answer the soul 
needs of Christians? 

11. Give the Australian plan. 

12. Who may conduct the communion service? 

13. Give reasons for care as to order and 


formality. 
18 









Ni Rt 
' Petantedc 
Pia: 


XXL. 
HOW TO USE TRACTS 


OUTLINE STUDY XXI. 


I. ADVANTAGES IN THE USE OF TRACTS. 
1. Always Stick to the Point. 
2. Never Lose Their Temper. 
3. Avail When Other Methods Fail. 
4. Often Reach the Unapproachable. 
5. Lead Many to Jesus Christ. 
it. PURPOSE OF TRACTS. 
1. To Save the Unsaved. 
2. To Correct Error. 
3. To Set Christians to Work. 
III. WHO SHOULD USE TRACTS. 
. The Preacher. 
. The Bible-school Superintendent. 
. The Bible-school Teachers. 
. The Shut-ins. 
The Traveling-man. 
The Business Man. 
. The Housekeeper. 
. Every Christian. 
IV. HOW TO USE TRACTS. 
1. To Begin a Conversation. 
2. To Close a Conversation. 
3. Where a Conversation Is Impossible. 
V. SUGGESTIONS FOR USING TRACTS. 
1. Read the Tracts Before Giving Them to Others. 
2. Choose Tract Suitable to Person. 
3. Always Carry a Selection of Tracts. 


ANAAE WN EH 


EXEX LT: 
How to User Tracts. 


I. ADVANTAGES IN THE USE OF TRACTS 


OT every Christian can be an efficient worker 

and occupy a prominent place in the local 
church, but every Christian can become a user of 
tracts, and perform a mighty ministry for Christ in 
this way. 

If there is any one need greater than another 
in the church to-day, it is that every individual should 
always carry and wisely distribute good tracts. And 
it is just this lack in which we ean discover the 
secret of our past failure to spread the plea of the 
disciples of Christ in any way commensurate with 
what we must acknowledge Christ could have rea- 
sonably expected. 

The importance and advantages of this ministry, 
therefore, can not be too strongly stressed, and it 
ought to be given prayerful and persistent study. 

1. Always Stick to the Point. 

Tracts enable us to do our individual work in the 
most satisfactory manner, because they always stick 
to the point. They show how the Scripture texts are 
related, what they establish and the main point to be 


emphasized. For the reason that tracts always stick 
275 


276 Evangelism 


to a definite idea or purpose, various cults and in- 
terests are using them to propagate their peculiar 
ideas, and they are getting results. Shall we, who 
have the true message of Christ, longer neglect this 
important ministry while others scatter abroad the 
doctrines of men? 

All can not speak fluently or talk to the point 
successfully, but all can use tracts, and when people 
are aroused to sense the great need and unlimited 
possibilities of tracts, they will desire to do some- 
thing to help preach the Word. 

2. Never Lose Their Temper. 

Christian workers sometimes lose their tempers, 
but tracts never do. They always remain calm. 

Indeed, how enormous and wonderful would be 
the results if all Christians should begin to be 
active in the distribution of tracts to the extent of 
their ability! Nothing else would do so much to 
promote the love of Christ in a peaceful and effec- 
tive way. 

3. Avail When Other Methods Fail. 

Tracts often succeed in reaching men where a 
sermon or personal conversation has failed. He may 
forget the sermon or personal conversation, but 
tracts stay with him. They meet a definite need, 
and often avail where other methods fail. 

4. Often Reach the Unapproachable. 

Some can not and others will not listen to a ser- 
mon or attend church services, but tracts can reach 
them all. 

A man may repulse a personal worker when he 
tries to speak to him about his soul, but he will fre- 


Evangelism 217 


quently read a tract if left in some place where he 
comes upon it accidentally, and that tract may be 
the means of bringing him to Christ. 

5. Lead Many to Jesus Christ. 

There are many who have attended church for 
years, listened to some of the best-known preachers, 
and still are unsaved. One of the best ways to bring 
them to a definite decision is by the use of good 
tracts. Even, sometimes, when men are aroused, 
tracts are necessary to bring them to a clearer 
understanding of the gospel plan of salvation. A 
large church of many members, with powerful 
preaching, can not accomplish as much as a small 
church with comparatively poor preaching, where the 
members generally use good tracts. One of our 
recent evangelists received, before his death, nearly 
one thousand letters from people who had been led 
to Christ by reading his tracts. 


II. PURPOSE OF TRACTS 


1. To Save the Unsaved. 

A Christian man gave a tract to his caddie while 
they were waiting together on the golf-links; the 
boy became a Christian, and later a minister of 
the gospel. 

A Bible-school teacher distributed tracts to her 
elass of boys one Sunday morning. That same day 
she had the joy of seeing two of her pupils take 
their stand for Christ. 

A business man in Kansas City makes it the rule 
of his life to hand a tract to every man with whom 
he has business dealings, if there is the slightest 


278 Evangelism 


chance for him to consistently do so. He has been 
instrumental in winning many to Christ. 

2. To Correct Error. 

It is a mistake to limit the use of tracts to soul- 
winning. <A little tract on stewardship, sent in a 
letter to a prominent attorney, made a change 
in his whole life. ~The tract was not altogether cor- 
rect in every way, but it had an important truth, 
and it did for him the work that needed to be done. 
A tract enclosed with a business letter may correct 
an error and lead that individual into an entirely 
new life of Christian service. To correct error is a 
very necessary form of work in this day and age. 

3. To Set Christians to Work. 

Eighty-five per cent. of the business in the com- 
mercial world is done by tract and personal solicita- 
tion. Successful business men have discovered that 
they can not sit idly by and wait for business to 
come to them. They must go after the business. No 
method has yet been devised that will take the place 
of tracts and personal solicitation in commercial 
‘‘lives.’’ The church should be as wise in this matter 
as are the men of the world. If the church forgets 
or overlooks the use of tracts, she will find herself 
coming short of that success which Jesus, the Christ, 
desires, and her mission should command. 


Ill. WHO SHOULD USE TRACTS 


In the aveage church there are not more than 
one-half-dozen people who ean speak to edification. 
But anybody can use tracts, and all can learn to do 
effective tract-work. How wonderful would be the 


Evangelism 279 


results if all Christians should begin to be distribu- 

tors of tracts to the best of their ability. We can 

distribute tracts in the homes of the poor and the 
homes of the rich, in hospitals, workhouses, jails, rail- 
way stations and all sorts of institutions; indeed, 
everywhere. 

| 1. The Preacher. 

The minister of a church should be a master in 
the art of soul-winning, and one of the chief means 
that he should use in his personal work is carefully 
selected tracts. He should never feel fully equipped 
for his daily contact with people unless he is sup- 
plied with a number of these lttle gospel messengers. 
When our ministers generally use tracts, they will 
then urge this duty upon their people, train them 
for it and see that they do it. 

2. The Bible-school Superintendent. 

The superintendent of the Bible school should be 
on the lookout for tracts to give to members of his 
school. <A certain superintendent of a_ successful 
Bible school made it a rule to give a good tract to 
every one who came to the school, and he was in- 
strumental in bringing 90 per cent. of his school into 
the church. 

3. The Bible-schooi Teacher. 

Every teacher in the Bible school should seek 
opportunities to place tracts in the hands of their 
scholars, and in this way do much to supplement 
their half-hour’s work on the Lord’s Day. 

4, The Shut-ins. 

Every one kept at home by sickness or otherwise 
can use tracts. As friends call, a word of testimony 


280 Evangelism 


can be given and a tract used to a good advantage. 
The Salvation Army in New York rescued a girl from 
the slums of that great city. In less than four years 
she was used of God in leading more than one hun- 
dred men and women into better living, through 
the use of tracts, while lying upon her bed of 
affliction. ~ 

5. The Traveling-man. 

A traveling-man has unusually good opportunities 
for distributing tracts as he travels from one city 
to another, as he stops in one hotel after another and 
goes from one place of business to another. A 
‘‘traveling-man’’ who is a Christian, with a well- 
selected assortment of tracts, can accomplish im- 
measurable good. 

6. The Business Man. 

Many a business man to-day slips tracts into the 
letters which he writes, and thereby accomplishes an 
effective ministry for Christ. He can also do excel- 
lent work when he is on a Pullman dining-car. A 
business man, who might have been recognized as one 
of the officials of a great corporation, was passing 
through the door back to his car, when one of the 
waiters eagerly ran after him and stopped him. 
The business man turned and recognized the waiter 
who had served him at noon, and to whom he had 
given a little tract on conversion. The waiter ex- 
plained that he had read the tract and needed more 
assistance. With the ground so prepared, it did not 
take this business man long to point out the way of 
salvation to this new friend, and both went on their 
way rejoicing. 


Evangelism 281 


7. The Housekeeper. 

The Christian housekeeper can do effective per- 
sonal work through the use of tracts. She can dis- 
tribute them to the servants, the delivery-boy, the 
newsboy, the milkman, the market-man, or the 
_ tramps that come to the door. In this way, effective 

personal work can be done every day in the week. 

8. Every Christian. 

We can not all conduct meetings and assist pub- 
licly in the services of the church, but we can all 
select useful tracts and hand them out to others. If 
there is one need greater than another in the church 
to-day, it is that every Christian should learn the 
art of using tracts. The importance of the universal 
use of tracts, therefore, can not be too strongly 
stressed and it ought to be given prayerful, persistent 
and careful attention. 


IV. HOW TO USE TRACTS 


1. To Begin a Conversation. 

The great difficulty in individual evangelism is 
in starting. It may be easy and simple enough for 
you to talk after you have started, but how are you 
gcing to start the conversation? One of the best and 
surest ways is by handing a tract to the person with 
whom you wish to talk. After the tract has been 
read, a conversation naturally follows. 

2. To Close a Conversation. 

After a conversation with an individual, he should 
be handed a tract that will give him something 
definite to read. If he is a member of the church, 
give him something that will show him how to suc- 


282 Evangelism 


eeed in Christian living and serving. If the indi- 
vidual has not accepted Christ, then hand him some 
other tract that is especially adapted to his needs. 
Personal workers will find it very fruitful in results. 

3. Where a Conversation Is Impossible. 

Oftentimes a conversation is impossible, because 
of the place where. you meet people. In many in- 
stances it would not be wise, if it were possible, but 
you can study the man’s needs and then give him a 
tract that will meet them. Sometimes a few words 
to an individual and the placing of a tract in his 
hands will bring splendid results. 


V. SUGGESTIONS FOR USING TRACTS 


1. Read the Tracts Before Giving Them to Others. 

This is very necessary in the use of tracts. 
Worthless tracts, to-day, are being circulated by the 
million, and we need to be on guard lest we do 
harm rather than good in distributing them. 

2. Choose Tract Suitable to the Person. 

This is of very highest importance. What will 
reach one person may not reach another. If there 
is any place where we need wisdom it is in the 
selection of tracts, and in their distribution after 
their selection. 

3. Always Carry a Selection of Tracts. 

Select the best, and arrange them for the differ- 
ent classes of people with whom you come in con- 
tact. They assist in making permanent impressions 
and fixing the truth. It is ours to make the dis- 
tribution of tracts far more suecessful than ever 
before, if we will only give ourselves to it. 


Evangelism 283 


Let us face the situation and see whether the 
eareless indifference, which has been our curse 
until now, will not give way to a new, mighty and 
enduring awakening along this line, which will help 
give to our Lord and His teachings a rightful place 
in the life of the nations of the world. 


TEST QUESTIONS 


1. Can every Christian be an efficient worker and 
occupy a prominent place in the local church? 

2. State the importance and advantages of the 
ministry of tracts? 

3. In what way do tracts enable us to do our in- 
dividual work in the most satisfactory manner? 

4. What would be the result if all Christians 
should begin to be active in the distribution of tracts? 

5. Why is it a mistake to limit the use of tracts 
to soul-winning? 

6. Who should use tracts? 

7. Why should every teacher in the Bible school 
seek opportunities to place tracts in the hands of 
their scholars? 

8. State the importance of the universal use of 
tracts? 

9. Give three ways in which to use tracts. 

10. Give a few suggestions for using tracts. 

11. Why should every Christian worker carry a 
selection of tracts? 





XXIL. 


THE GENERAL EVANGELIST AND 
EVANGELISM 


OUTLINE STUDY XXII. 


I. THE NEED FOR GENERAL EVANGELISTS. 


uD 


5. 


What We Mean by the General Evangelist. 


2. Need for Men Who Can Specialize. 
oy 
4, Need for Men Who Can Teach All Ministers Means and 


Need for Helpers in Great Campaigns. 


Methods of Evangelism. 
Need for Evangelistic Companies. 


II. THE GENERAL EVANGELIST AS A MAN. 


. In Name and Character. 

. In Bearing and Poise. 

. In Sincerity and Harnestness. 

. In Accurate Bible Knowledge. 

. In Constant Prayer. 

. In Abundance of Work. 

. in Ability as an Executive and Organizer. 


Ill. THE GENERAL EVANGELIST AND HIS TASK. 


. Creating a Wider Interest in the Gospel. 


Making Sin Hateful and Godliness Desirable. 


. Teaching the Way of Life. 
. Inspiring Workers to Greater Efforts. 
. Bringing People into Christ. 


. Other Helpful Features. 


Ve THE GENERAL EVANGELIST AND HIS REMUNERA- 


1. 
Hh 


TION. 
Work Requires Special Remuneration. 
Added Expenses and Sacrifices Are Unusual. 


286 


DONG 
Tue GENERAL EVANGELIST AND EVANGELISM. 


I. THE NEED FOR GENERAL EVANGELISTS 


HILE much of this volume has been given to en- 
couraging ministers and all classes of church- 

members to become actual evangelists, soul-winners, 
there is no thought of emphasizing one helpful work 
to the exclusion or obscuration of another. The gen- 
eral evangelist has ever kept the fires of evangelism 
aglow, whatever the remainder of us may have done 
about it. The general evangelists have always been 
needed, and always will be needed in increasing num- 
bers, until these knights of the gospel-road have 
carried the message to the last man on earth. | 

1. What We Mean by the General Evangelist. 

By a general evangelist we mean a_ gospel 
preacher who can and does go from place to place to 
preach the Word; servant of all the churches in gen- 
eral, but not confined to one congregation and its 
work exclusively. 

2. Need for Men Who Can Specialize. 

The general evangelist is needed, first, because 
there is a need for men free from many of the grind- 
ing details of caring for the needs of a congregation, 


and who may specialize in the matter of winning con- 
NS) 287 


288 Evangelism 


verts to Christ. Winning souls is an art, and may be 
very highly cultivated. 

3. Need for Helpers in Great Campaigns. 

It is almost a universal practice for congregations 
to confine their employed ministerial force to one 
or at most two men, regardless of the size of the 
congregation or the field. This makes it necessary 
to have expert men available who can be secured to 
help in great campaigns to reach communities, coun- 
ties and cities. In this way it is possible to carry 
forward a work much larger than any minister could 
prosecute alone. 

4. Need for Men Who Can Teach Means and 
Methods of Evangelism. 

In a sense, our traveling evangelists are traveling 
teachers of evangelism. Who of the rest of us have 
not learned much of what we know of the work of 
evangelism from our general evangelists? They 
have been a tremendous educational force as well as 
an inspirational force along evangelistic lines. 

5. Need for Evangelistic Companies. 

The evangelistic team is a worth-while institution. 
This is but a further specialization in ability and 
organization. When an expert in preaching and ex- 
horting, an expert in advertising, an expert in song- 
leading, an expert in organizing, and an expert in per- 
sonal work combine, it brings a combination against 
the barriers of sin and indifference that is almost irre- 
sistible. Combinations of ability are used in every 
other line, and it is surely needed in the work of the 
Lord. ‘‘For the sons of this world are, for their own 
generation, wiser than the sons of light’? (Luke 16: 8). 


Evangelism 289 


II. THE GENERAL EVANGELIST AS A MAN 


1. In Name and Character. 

He who would serve as a general evangelist 
should be, and should be expected to be, a man of 
irreproachable character. He is in a position sub- 
jected to more tests from more kinds of people than _ 
any other position on earth. He stands out con- 
spicuously in a work which makes him noticed by 
all and attractive to many. The gates of the inner- 
most lives of men and women are thrown open to 
him freely and quickly. For these reasons his 
strength of character and his name should both be 
beyond question. 

It is unfortunate that some, whose names and 
standing would not be conducive to their long stay in 
any one community, have thought to continue in the 
work by the means of turning to evangelism, so that 
they might be in a work that required but a short 
stay in any community. The harm done to the cause 
in local communities, and the irreparable harm done 
to the good cause of evangelism, would have been 
avoided had all recognized that more strength of char- 
acter is required to do the work of a general evan- 
gelist than of any other work on earth. 

2. In Bearing and Poise. 

The very intensity and strain of the work involved 
in campaign after campaign requires unusual self- 
eontrol and poise. There is much in the work to cause 
one to break in temper and bearing. However, the 
truths of the gospel of Christ will hardly be listened 
to with eager ears by those who notice a conspicuous 


290" | Evangelism 


lack of the spirit of Christ in the evangelist. A spirit 
of self-control and manly poise is essential. 

3. In Sincerity and Earnestness. 

While there are rules of procedure and methods 
and best ways in evangelism, yet there is no stock 
way by which it can be done. Trite sayings collected, 
machine methods accumulated, and ali other things, 
ean not take the place of bona-fide, soul-sincerity and 
real earnestness. There are probably no two things 
so powerful to attract and hold and move men as real 
sincerity and real earnestness. They are hard to 
successfully counterfeit. 

4. An Accurate Bible Knowledge. 

People who have never listened before, listen to 
the general evangelist. People who have never 
learned a Bible verse before, learn to remember Bible 
passages as heard from the evangelist. They listen 
more intently and remember better, Bible interpre- 
tations as given by the evangelist, simply because all 
things are tense, in a good meeting, and their atten- 
tion and memory are, therefore, tense. Therefore, 
the evangelist’s Bible knowledge must be thorough 
and accurate. The very fact that he is looked upon 
as a Bible expert, expected to be able to answer all 
legitimate questions, demands that he fill his soul, his 
mind and his mouth with the Bible. 

5. In Constant Prayer. 

While prayer and long faces have been basely 
used by fakirs to make themselves appear as holy 
men, and while prayer by others has been used as a 
screen to dodge issues or cover up faults, yet prayer is 
as holy, as powerful and as needful as ever. The win- 


Evangelism 291 


ner of souls can not be a real winner of souls to 
Christ without sincere and abundant prayer. He who 
knows how to really pray will be a power for souls. 

6. In Abundance of Work. 

The lazy man has no place in the general-evan- 
gelistic field. Work—intense, unremitting work—is 
the price to be paid for the crown of success in the . 
life of a general evangelist. Making a loud noise for 
an hour and a half a day, and bluffing the people into 
the work, does not succeed long. What the evangelist 
would have others do, he must do. 

7. In Ability as an Executive and Oreanizer. 

An executive is one who has the native ability 
to lead and direct the work of others happily and 
efficiently. The evangelist has not the time in a 
community to patiently gain the confidence and fol- 
lowing of the people, and yet he must immediately 
begin to lead and direct them. He, therefore, needs 
an unusual amount of executive and organizing 
ability. 


Ill. THE GENERAL EVANGELIST AND HIS TASK 


1. Creating a Wider Interest in the Gospel. 

Too much is frequently expected of the general 
evangelist. He can not do all things in three or four 
weeks. Many times he is blamed for a failure to do 
all in the meeting that the minister and church officers 
ought to do during the entire year following. We 
attempt to enumerate here the main things that the 
evangelist can be expected to do. 

The first thing that he may be expected to do is 
to create a wider interest in, and hearing for, the 


292 Evangelism 


gospel. If he succeeds in that, he has sueeeeded in 
one thing, and so much is definitely accomplished. 
He may not and will not reach all, but he has ex- 
tended the hearing. 

2. Making Sin Hateful and Godliness Desira- 
ble. 

If only these two things can be accomplished, 
much has been gained. The ground has been at 
least cleared and prepared for sowing gospel truth. 
Without these things, gospel truth is many times 
thrown to the winds. 

3. Teaching the Way of Life. 

Any evangelist in the church of Christ is and 
should be expected to go further yet, however. He 
must know, and be a successful teacher of, the way 
of life. No one should hear him preach once and go 
away doubting or confused on the exact gospel pro- 
cedure in becoming a Christian, with all that it im- 
plies. This we can rightly expect. The word of 
God must be taught as the word of God, and in its 
own plainness and purity. It should be taught abun- 
dantly as the most noticeable and outstanding feature 
of the meeting. This we ought to expect of our evan- 
gelists. 

4. Inspiring Workers to Greater Efforts. 

We can rightly expect a general evangelist to in- 
spire workers to greater efforts, both now and in 
the future. That meeting is faulty that inspires but 
a frenzied effort, and saps incentive for future living 
and serving. A real and lasting vision of the glori- 
ous work of soul-saving should be left from every 
evangelistic meeting. 


Evangelism 293 


5. Bringing People into Christ. 

We can and rightly should expect the evangelist 
to be expert and successful, not only in proclaiming 
the truth, but in moving people to act upon it. This 
is an art that every preacher should constantly ecul- 
tivate, but he who has not cultivated it should scarcely 
try to evangelize. He must bring people to hear 
Christ, know Christ, believe in Christ, obey Christ. 
Unless that is done, he can hardly lay claim to being 
a successful evangelist. If he can and does do the 
above things, we have little right to expect much 
more in so short a time. 

6. Other Helpful Features. 

In addition to the above, most of our evangelists 
do much in helping to instruct and induct the con- 
verts into the work and service of the church. Many 
make the appeal for recruits for the ministry and 
mission field, enlist tithers, instruct the converts in 
their duties, and perform other helpful tasks. This 
is a helpful addition to the work, if done by one who 
knows how. 


IV. THE GENERAL EVANGELIST AND HIS 
REMUNERATION 


1. Work Requires Special Remuneration. 

Some have felt that, in general, the remuneration 
asked or received by the general evangelist is too 
large compared with that received by the average 
pastor. While there have been such instances, yet 
for most part this is not true. The nature of the 
work requires good pay. The evangelist is employed, 
not by the year, but by the week. He has to be con- 


294 Evangelism 


tinually finding a new work. With even the best, 
there is lost time. The work is such that only a few, 
very exceptional men can keep up the strain for many 
years. He should be very well paid, if possible, while 
he is in this work, to make up for these handicaps. 
However, this fact should not drive out the spirit of 
devotion for preaching the gospel and lead to a 
money-getting spirit. Each evangelist ought to make 
a practice of conducting meetings where the need is 
oreat and the finances unassured as well as where 
the remuneration can be assured. 

2. Added Expenses Are Unusual. 

Any one whose work requires travel appreciates, 
as no other does, that travel brings many and unfore- 
seen expenses not incident to his work. While 
railroad expenses are usually paid by the churches, 
this usually covers only a small part of the added ex- 
pense incident to being ever away from home. Also, 
the sacrifices of really having no home and being in a 
work that requires being ever on the road, not only 
adds expense, but deserves a certain degree of re- 
muneration. All this has been said, not as a justifica- 
tion of any overcharges or unusual money gatherings, 
but to try to give the facts and information to those 
contemplating entering the general evangelistic field, 
and also as a means of better understanding on the 
part of all. 


TEST QUESTIONS 


1. What is meant by a general evangelist? 
2. Mention five outstanding needs for general 
evangelists. 


Evangelism : 295 


3. Discuss each. 

4. Mention seven characteristics that should mark 
the evangelist. 

5. Discuss the need for each. 

6. Mention five definite things that we may rightly 
expect an evangelist to be able to do successfully in 
a church of Christ. 

7. Discuss each. 

8. Should the evangelist be reasonably expected 
to do more? 

9. Mention some other helpful things he may do. 

10. Mention two things that justify somewhat 
more in weekly remuneration than the settled work 
ealls for. 

11. How can the evangelist secure fair play along 
this line and yet avoid all appearances of being mer- 
cenary ? 


hz 





XXII. 


THE SONG EVANGELIST AND 
EVANGELISM 


OUTLINE STUDY XXIII. 


I. THE SONG EVANGELIST’S OFFICE. 
1. Simple Meaning. 
2. Importance of Office. 
Il. ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS. 
1. He Must Be a Christian. 
2. He Should Be Trained. 
(1) In Music. 
(2) In Personal Work. 
(8) In Public Speaking. 
3. He Must Have Personality. 
4. He Must Be Enthusiastic. 
5. He Must Be Skilled in Diplomacy. 


lil. THE MUSIC DURING AN EVANGELISTIC CAMPAIGN. 
1. Special Numbers. 


(1) The Solo. 

(2) The Anthem. 

(3) Duets, Quartets, Ete. 
2. The Choruses, 

(1) The Adult Chorus. 

(2) The Children’s Chorus. 
8. Congregational Singing. 
4. The Invitation Song, 


298 


XXII. 
THe Song EVANGELIST AND EVANGELISM. 


I, THE SONG EVANGELIST’S OFFICE 


I. Simple Meaning. 

From the earliest days, hymns and spiritual songs 
have always been a part of the worship of Jehovah. 
The Israelites were often admonished to sing unto 
the Lord. David gave much attention to this matter, 
and made it occupy an important part in the Jewish 
services. In the New Testament, Christians were re- 
quired to teach and admonish one another in psalms, 
‘‘speaking one to another in psalms and hymns and 
spiritual songs, singing and making melody with 
your heart to the Lord’’ (Eph. 5:19). Hence, it is 
evident that every Christian should sing unto God, 
or at least make melody in his heart unto the Lord. 

However, it took the early preachers and evan- 
gelists a long time to realize the power of song in 
evangelism. In fact, music played a small part in 
early evangelistic meetings. But when P. P. Bliss 
and Ira D. Sankey introduced gospel songs in their 
own individual way, the church realized that the 
gospel could be sung as effectively as preached. Re- 
markable results were accomplished by them in their 


use of gospel songs. Since that time the song evan- 
299 


300 Evangelism 


gelist has wielded a powerful influence in evan- 
gelism. 

2. Importance of Office. 

An enthusiastic and interesting gospel song ser- 
vice will nearly always gather together a large and 
interested audience. It is largely the drawing power 
in the average evangelistic meeting. 

Gospel singing is not only a drawing power; it is 
gospel preaching itself. In some song services more 
gospel is presented than is given out from some pul- 
pits in a month’s sermons. There are some truths 
which can be better expressed in the rhythm and 
beauty of music. 

Gospel singing also prepares the audience for the 
sermon. It is the greatest preparation, both emo- 
tionally and spiritually, for the ultimate success of 
the preached Word. There can, therefore, be no 
office more important than that of the song evangelist. 


II. ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS 


The song evangelist must have the following 
essential qualifications to be rightly fitted for his 
work: 

1. He Must Be a Christian. 

A song evangelist’s chief qualification should be 
a heart thoroughly given to God, and a vision of 
souls, who are lost without an acceptance of Christ. 
If he loves God, he will love men, and want to see 
them saved. He must feel what he sings, and must 
enter soul and body into the work. In this, deceit is 
nearly impossible. Good, wholesome results can not 
be obtained with singers who are not Christians. 


Evangelism 301 


2. He Should Be Trained. 

There is need of great preparation and training 
for this great work. He should acquaint himself 
with all evangelistic methods possible, and be ready 
to aid in any and every way within his power to 
make the meeting a success, and bring souls to the 
Master. In order to be properly prepared, he should 
be trained as follows: 

(1) In music. He should have a fair knowledge 
of music. His voice should be properly trained so 
that its greatest sweetness may be in each song. Clear, 
distinct enunciation is absolutely necessary. Hach 
song has its own message and should be interpreted 
by the evangelist accordingly. The song evangelist 
should take such work and training as will allow him 
to use his voice without abuse, and should seek such 
a knowledge of music that he can command the re- 
spect of musicians wherever he may go. 

(2) In personal work. The song evangelist should 
be a personal worker, not a mere soloist or chorus 
leader. He must sing, pray and do personal work in 
order to sing from the heart. 

(3) In public speaking. A successful song evan- 
gelist should be able to assume charge of the service 
in a competent manner up to the time when the evan- 
gelist takes charge to deliver his message. He 
should study the crowd before him and know what 
to do at every critical point. 

3. He Must Have Personality. 

The personality of the song evangelist should 
command the attention and confidence of the people 
the moment he appears upon the platform. Per- 


302 Evangelism 


sonality and preparation are necessary to the accom- 
plishment of a great work. 

4, He Must Be Enthusiastic. 

When the time for the invitation song arrives, 
the song evangelist should be enthusiastic and ear- 
nest. Nearly every song should be a note of en- 
thusiasm, an appeal or an exhortation. 

The surest way for the song evangelist to create 
enthusiasm is to be enthusiastic himself. He should 
urge the people to sing, and persevere until they do. 
There is never a crowd, even though it be made up of 
men, and old men at that, which will not sing if 
properly approached. 

5. He Must Be Skilled in Diplomacy. 

The song evangelist must be able to face every con- 
dition. Every singer knows that there are, occasion- 
ally, nights of depression when the people seem to be 
eoldly indifferent, and the general impression he 
receives is that they are vying with each other to 
freeze him out. The weather, or some local occurrence, 
or any one of a number of things, may be responsible 
for such a condition. He must use diplomacy and 
seek to remedy the difficulty quickly, or the service 
will be a failure. He must always know what to do 
at every critical point. 


Ill. THE MUSIC DURING AN EVANGELISTIC 
CAMPAIGN 


I. Special Numbers. 

Good special music numbers have come to be re- 
garded as one of the essentials for a_ successful 
evangelistic campaign. 


Evangelism 303 


(1) The solo. Who can estimate the value or in- 
fluence for good of some high and helpful senti- 
ment which has been woven into song, and, under the 
magic of the singer, has wooed and won its way 
into thousands of hearts? Who can fathom its depths 
for good or calculate its power? Then, if this can be 
so highly beneficial, what will the soloist sing? Few 
evangelists, if any, who sing for souls, have ever 
found use for but little else except the simple gospel 
songs. And this is doubtless due to the fact that 
these songs have been written by Spirit-filled men 
and women, who have had a more sincere nature and 
a more noble ambition than merely to add to their 
monetary income or make a contribution to art. 
Then, too, much depends upon the singer’s interpre- 
tation of the song. The singer must not sing 
merely to entertain. In this critical hour of evan- 
gelistic endeavor, the singer must be lost in his song. 

(2) The anthem. It is only occasionally that a 
place may be found for an anthem in the evan- 
gelistic song service, though in the regular worship 
a good anthem can be made helpful. 

(3) Duets, quartets, etc. It is always well to 
add variety and zest to the program of special music 
by having an occasional duet or quartet. Seek to 
have a new feature every night in the way of a 
trio, a duet, a male quartet, an illustrated song, 
when practicable. 

2. The Choruses. 

Special choruses should be organized and well 
drilled for the beginning of a great evangelistic cam-- 


paign. Large choruses are preferable if the song 
20 


304 Evangelism 


evangelist can handle them. Much of the success of 
the campaign depends upon well-ordered, well-organ- 
ized and well-drilled choruses. 

(1) The adult chorus. In the work of the adult 
chorus, the song evangelist must use great tact and 
skill in keeping everything harmonious. In the 
beginning he should make all understand that the 
director’s position is one of authority, and that, 
although suggestions may be helpful, criticisms are 
not in order. Ofttimes members of the choir think 
they see the fallacy of employing certain methods 
which the song evangelist may see fit to employ. 
But let them remember that the leader is a specialist 
in-his line, and that the purpose is to reach people 
out of Christ, rather than to afford the choir recrea- 
tion and amusement. 

When the campaign has been fully launched, the 
members of the chorus should become personal work- 
ers in the meeting. <A brief prayer by the song evan- 
gelist, from time to time, will do much to uplift the 
singers and keep them happy. 

(2) The children’s chorus. The children should 
be organized into a chorus of their own. Drills are 
very helpful in the development of their work. 
Vary these drills from time to time so that the chil- 
dren will not lose interest. These boys and girls 
should range in age from seven to fifteen years. 
The work consists of a drill through the Old and 
New Testaments, naming all the books, divisions and 
many of the leading Bible characters. They also 
should render, during the meeting, a number of 
special songs, stories and object lessons. 


Evangelism 305 


3. Congregational Singing. 

Careful selection should be made of songs, and 
those used at each service should be such as will 
make ready the hearts of the audience for the recep- 
tion of the gospel message. It should also stir the 
evangelist to his best efforts upon the subject for 
the particular service. 

The best music to be used is a proper combination 
of grand old songs and a few entirely new ones, 
which are distinctly a part of the present meeting. 
The old songs are to be used because of their power 
to uplift. They often awake sleeping memories which 
finally lead to a surrender of the heart to Christ. It 
also frequently is true that more enthusiasm can be 
generated with old songs than with newer ones. New 
songs are beneficial in the same way as new ser- 
mons. The message, though it must be the old, old 
story, must be presented in new ways. New life and 
associations are frequently aroused by the introduce- 
tion of new songs of real merit into the song ser- 
vice. 

It is not always wise to arrange ahead for certain 
songs to be sung. <A careful manipulation and a 
close watching of the audience will determine just 
what songs to use in order to bring about the best 
results. 

4. The Invitation Song's. 

For an invitation song, always select something 
with an exhortation in it—something that says just 
what you want to say. Many song evangelists have 
had splendid success with ‘‘Let Jesus Come into Your 
Heart.’’ Proper retards may be interpolated in the 


306 Evangelism 


chorus, making the appeal more effective. Kxperi- 
ence seems to indicate that it is not best to use 
more than one or two invitation songs throughout 
a meeting. The repetition does not become monot- 
onous, but enables every one to learn the songs by 
heart and strengthens the supplication. 

These suggestions are not theory, but the tested 
results of actual experience in the work. Our song 
evangelists have rightly come into prominence in the 
work of evangelism. 

Their chief duty is to sing the gospel into the 
hearts of the indifferent. Caruso, probably the great- 
est tenor the world ever produced, was a man of 
very little training. But how he sang! His soul 
was in it. He sang naturally for the love of the art. 
How much more should those who have the privilege 
of singing gospel songs sing from the depths of the 
soul these songs which have been instrumental in 
the conversion of thousands, and whose work is 
to-day being more nearly given its rightful place 
than ever before. 


TEST QUESTIONS 


1. What is the chief object of singing .n an evan- 
velistic meeting? 

2. What is the function of the song evangelist’s 
office ? 

3. State the importance of the song evangelist’s 
office. 

4. What are the essential PR ENAEs of a sue- 
cessful song evangelist? 

5. Why be a Cbristian? 


Evangelasm 307 


6. Why should the song evangelist be trained in 
music? 

7. Is it necessary for the song evangelist to be 
trained in public speaking? 

8. Why is a strong personality necessary? 

9. Is it necessary for the song evangelist to be 
diplomatic? Why? 

10. What is the value of a good solo? 

11. Is an anthem useful during a revival? 

12. Why have quartets and duets during a cam- 
paign? 

18. What is the first thing necessary in organiz- 
ing a chorus? 

14. State the work of the children’s chorus. 

15. Shall new songs be used in a revival? 

16. How many invitation songs should be used? 

17. What is the chief duty of every song evan- 
gelist? 


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AXIV. 


ORGANIZATION AND PREPARA- 
TION OF THE CHURCH FOR 
EVANGELISM 


I. ORGANIZATION FOR CONSTANT EVANGELISM. 


IT. 


OUTLINE STUDY XXIV, 


1. Ways of Locating Prospects. 
(1) Church District Lookouts. 
(2) The Census. 
(3) Sunday-school Enrollment Cards. 
(4) The Lookout Committee. 
2. Following Up the Prospects. 
(1) The Card-file. 
(2) The Calling Committee. 
3. Reaching the Prospects. 
(1) Personal Calling. 
(2) Bible-school Invitation. 
(3) Regular Weekly Evangelistic Service. 
(4) The Revival or Protracted Meeting. 


ORGANIZATION FOR THE REVIVAL MEETING. 


. Instructing All Regular Forces. 
. Advertising Committee. 
Ushers. 

. Personal Workers. 

. The Choir. 

. Co-ordinating the Forces. 


Oopwnd 


Ail WM FURTHER PREPARATION. 


1. Creation of Expectation Among the Workers. 
2. The Willingness to Work. 
3. The Spirit of Unselfishness. 


IV. SOME IMPORTANT DETAILS. 


. Importance of Details. 

. The Janitor. 

. The Lights. 

. The Seating. 

. Song-books. 

. Baptistery and Robes. 

. Thorough Knowledge of the Field. 
310 


NOOO P OND FH 


a —_ - 


XXIV. 


ORGANIZATION AND PREPARATION OF THE CHURCH FOR 
EVANGELISM. 


I. ORGANIZATION FOR CONSTANT EVANGELISM 


1. Ways of Locating Prospects. 

Evangelism is frequently builded too much on 
hope, and too little on definite and sensible planning. 
Hoping to reach a hundred may prove vain. Know- 
ing exactly where there are a hundred that may possi- 
bly be reached, knowing who they are, and going 
definitely after that particular hundred, will reach 
fifty of them and another fifty that has not been 
thought of. There are very definite and sensible ways 
of locating the prospects. We here enumerate some 
of them. 

(1) Church district lookouts. Various names are 
given to these appointees, but their duty well per- 
formed is the main thing that counts. These men 
and women are appointed with instructions definitely 
given as to their district in a city or a county. It 
is their business to watch the moving-van. If a new 
family moves in, they are to call within the first part 
of the first week, extend a welcome to the district and 
the city, extend an invitation to the church, and 


gather all information possible. This information is to 
311 


312 Evangelism 


be immediately transferred to file-cards and taken to 
the church. If any possibility of enlisting interest 
is shown, they are to follow up until the new family 
is in the church. 

(2) The census. It is quite possible for any min- 
ister and congregation to take a census of and card- 
file every family in a good-sized city. It is much 
better to do this than to enter into any federation 
eensus. List every family of all kinds and _ per- 
suasions. List all children, together with their ages, 
and whether they are in any Bible school. List every 
boarder or work-hand. List everybody. This will 
discover an amazing number of easily reachable pros- 
pects, and will be a much more workable list than 
any secured by a census taken by people from all 
churches. | 

(3) Sunday-school enrollment-cards. Use special 
file-cards for enrolling Sunday-school pupils. Have 
these printed to your own order, with place for name, 
address, age, birthday, phone number, class, depart- 
ment, teacher, parents’ names and whether they are 
members of the church. All this can be gotten on a 
3x 5-inch card, with squares around the edge for 
each Sunday in the year to be punched, showing 
attendance record. These ecards will discover and 
record, from the children enrolled, a host of good 
prospects among the parents. 

(4) The lookout committee. This is a committee 
of well-known church-members, who are regular atten- 
dants of both morning and evening services. Their 
apparent duty is to shake hands and make themselves 
generally agreeable to all strangers who attend. 


Evangelism 313 


Their actual duty is to discover, by conversation, 
all new persons, learn their addresses, their church 
interests, and card-file all possible prospects, to- 
gether with any and all information of interest that 
has been gained. 

2. Following Up the Prospects. 

(1) The card-file. Some are zealous in collecting 
large lists of prospects, but fail utterly in the follow- 
up. Every prospect, together with all available infor- 
mation, should be listed on a 3x5-inch file-card and 
placed in a desk-holder that will be given careful 
consideration each week and be gone through entirely 
each month. <A copy of each card should be placed 
in the hands of trained callers and sent out before 
the month ends. These eallers must return the 
eards with a written (not verbal) report and recom- 
mendation as to what should be done next or who 
should call next or whether totally unreachable. 
The name of every prospect should be kept going 
through this process until disposed of by being 
reached or listed as totally unreachable. The card- 
file, containing prospects, will assist greatly in effec- 
tive follow-up work. 

(2) The calling committee. The above has shown 
the positive need for a large and well-trained calling 
committee. These calls in homes can largely be made 
by women, though some must be made by men. The 
callers must be given one notion aside from general 
training in methods of approach and procedure. They 
must be inbued with the idea that, as they go from 
house to house, they represent the church of Christ, 
and, therefore, definitely represent Christ. 


314 Evangelism 


3. Reaching the Prospects. 

The last paragraph has given some suggestion as 
to the method of reaching the prospects. When our 
people speak or think of ‘‘church work,’’ they usually 
think of something else beside definitely trying to 
win people to Christ. More and more we must instill 
the idea of definite soul-winning work. When this is 
done, much of the other so-called church work can 
be dispensed with. We must teach and train how to 
bring people to knowledge of and decision for Christ. 
Classes should be continually conducted in every 
ehurch for this purpose. Many good books on per- 
sonal soul-winning are available. 

(1) Personal calling. The above paragraph has 
suggested the need for going to the unsaved. Too 
long has this kind of work been confined almost ex- 
clusively to the minister. The time has come for 
every minister to train others, so that the number of 
eallers in the name of Christ shall be many times 
multiplied. This is the first method of reaching the 
prospects. 

(2) Bible-school invitation. Only a few schools 
make a practice of extending the invitation every 
Sunday at the close of the Bible school. Even with 
the combined service, there can well be a short invita- 
tion at the close of the class period every Sunday. 
Why not? Why teach the Bible, if we do not give a 
chance every time, for our teaching to result in 
decision? Here is a splendid way of actually reach- 
ing some of the prospects. 

(3) Regular weekly evangelistic services. With- 
out egotism, but as a matter of fact, let it be said 


Evangelism 315 


that we are about the only people who can give a 
plausible reason for two services on the Lord’s Day. 
With most, the evening service is simply ‘‘another’’ 
or second service. With us, there is a definite pur- 
pose to each. The morning particularly is for break- 
ing of bread and worship and Bible study for Chris- 
tians. The evening is evangelistic, and particularly 
for the purpose of preaching the gospel to and reach- 
ing the unsaved. Certainly, at least once a week in 
every church of Christ there should be an evan- 
gelistic service. As a matter of fact, the time is 
coming when, in our churches in the great cities, 
there will and must be an evangelistic service every 
day in the year. 

(4) The revival or protracted evangelistic service. 
Some good men run only to the revival method in 
evangelism, and others go to the other extreme and 
eschew the revival meeting entirely. Both are wrong. 
There ought to be constant evangelism, and there, by 
all means, ought to be the revival meeting with all 
that it means. LEHither method pursued exclusively 
will miss some souls that otherwise might be reached. 
The revival is the opportunity for a great harvest of 
the prospects that have been found. 


II. ORGANIZATION FOR THE REVIVAL 
MEETING 


We have chosen to divide the subject of organi- 
zation and preparation of the church for evangelism 
into two main topics; organization for constant evan- 
gelism and organization for the revival. Our reason 
for this is that usually we think of organization only 


316 Evangelism 


for the revival, and then let the organization go to 
pieces and disintegrate when the three-weeks revival 
is over. That church which is well organized for 
constant evangelism is far on the way to being best 
organized for the revival meeting. 

1. First Call in for Special Instructions All Regu- 
lar Forces Named Above. 

If the forees are not already organized, then 
organize them. 

2. Advertising Committee. 

While advertising as such will be treated in 
another lesson, we mention the committee here as an 
essential part of the organization. This should be a 
well-chosen committee, chosen not only for the pur- 
pose of drafting printed matter, but for every form of 
advertising. This committee should consist of enough 
people to make personal calls at the door of every 
home of every kind, to leave the first printed an- 
nouncement of the revival, and to extend a personal 
invitation. Incidentally, they will gather much in- 
formation in regard to possible prospects for the eall- 
ing committee. Other matters of advertising we shall 
treat in the lesson on advertising. 

3. Ushers. 

In a revival meeting the ushers are something 
more than men appointed to find seats. They are a 
vital part of the evangelistic force. They should 
know this. They should be well and favorably known 
in the community. They should know who are mem- 
bers of the church. They should be under the direc- 
tion of a skilled head-usher, who does no ushering, 
but who is under the immediate direction of the 


Evangelism Blt 


evangelist. They should, through the head usher, 
know who comes that ought to be seated by the aisles. 
They should, through the head usher, be so linked 
with the callers and personal work committee that 
they know who is present in their section that may 
possibly be reached. They should anticipate every 
disturbance, and relieve the cause quickly and 
quietly. During the invitation they should be where 
they can be familiar with any development of interest 
in their section, and inform the head usher. They 
should greet the people of their section as they go 
out, and invite them back. They should learn that 
they are evangelists. 

4, Personal Workers. 

Some have seriously objected to personal work 
in the audience during the invitation. This is because 
of the kind of personal work that has been done. It 
should be done, but rightly done. First, all personal 
work should be done by trained and appointed per- 
sonal workers who know how and where to work. 
These should be under the direction of a head per- 
sonal worker, who is in touch with the ealling com- 
mittee and head usher, who knows beforehand where 
all prospects are and whether they probably ought 
to be seen or ought to be let strictly alone. A wise 
personal worker may even post a church-member as 
guard over some to see that they are not ap- 
proached, if in his judgment that is the thing to do 
in that case. The guard is, of course, not known as 
such by the prospect. The leader should quietly guide 
and direct his forces and see that the right one is 
sent to the right place at the right time. This kind 


318 Evangelism 


of directed personal work is non-offensive and tremen- 
dously effective. Personal work should not end with 
the invitation. One of the best times for wise per- 
sonal work is immediately after the dismissal. 

5. The Choir. 

The song-leader should be responsible for all 
members of the choir. Aside from training them to 
sing, he should be able to teach them that they are 
in front of the audience and may defeat the whole 
service by frivolity or apparent indifference. He 
must teach them that they are evangelists who take 
pride in the efficiency of their service and a reverent 
interest in winning souls. 

6. Co-ordinating the Forces. 

Already we have suggested that all forces must 
be linked through their leaders and commanders. The 
chairman of the calling committee, the chairman of 
the personal work committee, the chairman of the 
ushers, must give to each other and to the evangelist 
every bit of information of interest. By this means 
an evangelist can preach to a thousand people and 
know the personal problems and needs of almost every 
unsaved person in the house, although he has never 
seen them before. His sermons will be to the point, 
his exhortations will be to the point, the personal 
work will be to the point, the seating will be to the 
point, and, above all, the evangelist will know from 
the workers when his invitation should close and 
when it should not. With such an organization well 
trained, a most ordinary evangelist or minister can 
hold a great meeting. Such a plan will give the 
gospel every chance to win. 





Evangelism 319 


Ill. FURTHER PREPARATION 


1. One Essential Is the Creation of Expectation 
Among the People. 

Lack of expectation is the death of accomplish- 
ment. Right and abundant expectation is the mother 
of effort. One of the essential tasks of the minister 
is to create this expectation as well as the willing- 
ness to work. In fact, it is difficult to create willing- 
ness to work until, first, abundant and happy expecta- 
tion is created. Expectation is here used as merely 
another term for vision. 

2. The Willingness to Work. 

By some means, all the members must be gotten 
to see that the fields are ripe to the harvest, and that 
the revival period is so short that they can and must 
put every other thing aside and make the success of 
the meeting first. Some souls will, no doubt, be lost, 
because good Christians were unwilling to break their 
routine of ordinary tasks. This loss should be re- 
duced as much as possible. 

3. The Spirit of Unselfishness. 

Strange as it may seem, even Christians engaged 
in a soul-saving campaign are capable of developing 
a selfish tendency to enjoy the meeting rather than 
work in it. This shows in the determination to sit 
where they choose, rather than to sit where the 
usher suggests, leaving the accessible seats for the 
strangers and the unsaved. It may manifest itself in 
many other ways, but is to be gotten rid of by teach- 
ing, and, if necessary, by even the sharp sword of 


ridicule. 
21 


320 Evangelism 


IV. SOME IMPORTANT DETAILS 


1. Importance of Details. 

Napoleon was a master of details. Many a great 
campaign is defeated by an overlooked small detail. 
A small thing can stop an otherwise perfectly good 
watch or automobile. So it is with a great meeting. 
All the expense and trouble of planning and advertis- 
ing and securing an expensive team may be defeated 
by one apparently small or overlooked detail. We 
mention a few of these details. No meeting should 
be started without checking closely these and others. 

2. The Janitor. 

The janitor is in a position to absolutely defeat 
an otherwise well-planned, big campaign. He can 
wreck a meeting in any one of fifty ways—overheat- 
ing, freezing, lack of ventilation, noise, cold baptistery, 
hot baptistery, unfilled baptistery, discourtesy, dirt, 
ete., ete. The church janitor should be taken into 
special training before the campaign starts and made 
to know that he ean make or mar the meeting. 

3. The Lights. 

The building should be checked for lighting. It 
should be abundantly and brilliantly lighted in every 
corner for the revival meeting. We can not here dis- 
euss the psychology of this suggestion, but it is im- 
portant and should be checked up before the cam- 
paign begins and not after. 

4, The Seating. 

The stock mistake is to plan to increase the seat- 
ing capacity for the revival, provided that the re- 


sults in attendance should demand it. This is a mis- 
6 


Evangelism 321 


take. If the meeting is to really start on Sunday 
evening, all the members should be asked to remain 
after the morning service and the church should be 
shaped, set and prepared for a big crowd at night. 
This is important. Not to prepare for a crowd is 
serving notice that there may not be a crowd. To 
get ready for a crowd serves notice that there will be’ 
a crowd, and people come to see the crowd and 
hence there is a crowd. This has something to do 
with creating expectation. 

5. Song-books. 

To have half enough song-books, and they in dilapi- 
dated condition, is one of the best ways to harm a 
meeting. If finances are short, have enough faith to 
provide song-books anyhow, remembering that in a 
meeting it is easy to raise the extra money for new 
song-books. Prepare your ushers to be able to put 
a nice prosperity-advertising song-book in the hands 
of each one who enters the church. Train the ushers 
to always have a song-book open at the song that 
has last been announced, and to hand it opened to 
the one who is being seated. Every little attention 
of this kind helps win souls. 

6. Baptistery and Robes. 

Baptistery, baptistery heater, robes and baptismal 
eloths should be checked, inspected and repaired with 
definite expectation that of course they will be needed. 
The very preparation of these things is one of the 
best assets in preparing the local members in heart 
and expectation for the meeting. Do not wait until 
the need is upon you. Get all these things ready 
ahead of time. 


322 Evangelism 


7. Thorough Knowledge of the Field. 

The minister or chairman of the advertising com- 
mittee should have a map of the city, know every 
street, and know how many houses on every street. 
Boys will gather this information if asked to do so. 
When sending boys out with bills, one should know 
immediately how many bills will be required for any 
given street, or how many bills will be required to 
put one in every house on all the streets. 


TEST QUESTIONS 


1. Mention three main details in organization for 
constant evangelism. 

2. Mention four ways of locating and listing pros- 
pective converts. 

3. Deseribe each method in detail. 

4. What is the importance of the follow-up? 

5. Deseribe a good follow-up plan. 

6. Mention four ways of reaching or winning the 
prospects. 

7. Why should trained personal callers be used? 

8. Why should there be a regular invitation period 
in the Bible school? 

9. Why should there be a regular, weekly evan- 
velistic service? 

10. Why should there be a periodical evangelistic 
meeting ? 

11. Mention six details of organization and prepa- 
ration for the revival meeting. 

12. Discuss each of these points in detail. 

13. Make plain the necessity for creation of ex- 
pectation or vision. 


Evangelism 323 


14. What of the willingness to work? 


15. Is there a danger of selfishness, and why? 
How would you remove it? 


16. Mention at least six important details of 
preparation that should not be overlooked. 


17. Discuss the importance of each. 





XXV. 
ADVERTISING, WHY AND HOW > 


OUTLINE STUDY XXV. 


I. WHAT IS ADVERTISING? 
1. A Means of Attracting Attention to the Truth. 
2. A Means of Arousing an Interest in the Truth. 
3. A Means of Getting People to Investigate the Truth. 
4. Scriptural Examples of Advertising. 
II. WHY ADVERTISE. 
1. It Takes Advertising to Make a Success. 
2. A Light Should Not Be Hidden. 
3. Right Advertising Means More to Be Saved. 
III. VARIOUS METHODS OF ADVERTISING. 
. Old Method of Sermon Advertising. 
. Chain Telephone Method. 
The Calling Method. 
. The Use of Children. 
. Moving Pictures. 
. Theater Ads and Street Signs. 
. Bills and Posters. 
. Newspapers. 
. Special Days and Enterprises. 
IV. FOUR FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF PRINTED 
ADVERTISING. 
1. Must Attract Attention. 
(1) Something New. 
(2) Color Contrasts. 
(3) Size. 
(4) Abundance of Repetition. 
(5) Unusual Pictures. 
(6) Display and Attractive Arrangement. 
2. Must Hold the Interest and Secure Complete Reading. 
(1) Something Unusual Announced. 
(2) Unusual Arrangements. 
326 


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(3) Long Lists of Alliterations. 
(4) Newspaper Imitation. 
(5) Interlinked with Matters of Current Interest. 
3. Must Arouse a Desire to Investigate. 
(1) Curiosity. 
(2) Crowd Interest. 
(3) Success. 
(4) Desire to Hear or See the Unusual. 
(5) Desire to Know. 
4, Satisfied Customers. 
(1) Satisfied Customers the Final Test. 
(2) Advertise What You Can Deliver and Deliver What 
You Advertise. 
(3) Stick to the Strict Truth. 
V. NEWPAPER ADVERTISING. 
1. Relative Value of Paid ‘‘Display Ads’’ and News Stories. 
2. Why Space Is Hard to Secure for News Stories. 
VI. OTHER FORMS OF ADVERTISING. 
1. The Street Parade. 
2. Church Building in a Day. 
3. Street Services. 
4. Special Days. 


327 


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XXV. 
ADVERTISING, WHy AND How. 


I. WHAT IS ADVERTISING? 


1. A Means of Attracting Attention to the Truth. 

Some religious workers are prejudiced against 
what they recognize as advertising, but all are glad 
to share in its benefits. We first want to remove any 
prejudice against right advertising. While advertis- 
ing, like all other good things, may have been used for 
base purposes and used to draw attention to error, the 
fact remains that attention must be drawn to the 
truth. Advertising is the means of accomplishing 
three things, the first of which is to attract attention 
to the truth. Truth can be overlooked. It is not 
good for men that it should be. 

2. Means of Arousing an Interest in the Truth. 

If there is that which can arouse an interest in 
the truth, even a faint and passing interest among 
those who are totally uninterested, then that means 
ought to be used with the hope that the truth itself 
will arouse a further interest. The second thing that 
good advertising accomplishes is to arouse an interest 
in that good thing which you have to offer. 

3. Means of Getting People to Investigate the 
Truth. 


329 


330 Evangelism 


This is the third accomplishment of good advertis- 
ing, of whatever kind or plan it may be. If it does 
these three things, it is good advertising; if it fails 
in any one of the three, it is a failure, and means 
wasted money and effort as we shall show. 

4. Scriptural Examples of Advertising. 

There are many ways of advertising besides the 
printed posters and newspapers. There are many 
examples in the Scriptures, of which we mention a 
few. 

(1) Old Testament. The Jewish trumpets were 
generously used to awake and arouse the people, to 
call them to worship and remind them of duty. 
Parades and pageants were in common use for the 
same ends. 

(2) New Testament. Jesus fed the hungry miracu- 
lously. This was done not only that the hungry 
might be fed. If so, He would have fed all the hun- 
ery all the time. He did feed the hungry on loaves 
of bread that the way might be prepared to teach 
them of the bread of life. He healed the sick, though 
evidently not for that end alone, else He would 
have healed all the sick. The healings performed were 
that He might call attention to the healing of the 
soul, for which He really came. 

Again, on the day of Pentecost, on which the 
ehurch of Christ was founded, the tongues of flame 
not only marked out God’s messengers, but attracted 
the fixed and intense attention of the great multitudes, 
and brought the crowds to hear the truth. Advertis- 
ing is not cheap and undignified; it is great in pur- 
pose and possibilities. 


Evangelism 331 


Il. WHY ADVERTISE 


1. Takes Advertising to Make a Success. 

Success is made up of many things large and 
small. There are a number of things that a Chris- 
tian preacher needs to be if it is possible. He first 
of all should be one of the best men in town. 
Second, he should, by all means, be the best preacher 
in town, for the reason that he has a message that is 
easier to preach well than any other message. He 
ought to be the best known man. He ought to be a 
thoroughly good business man, able to make every 
dollar do two dollars’ worth of service for the 
Lord. Having the best and most needed thing in 
town—the gospel—he ought to be the best advertiser 
in the town. Some ministers expend all their brain 
and talent on their sermons and none on advertising 
or promotion, and the result is some very fine ser- 
mons preached to vistas of empty seats. Some spend 
most of their brain and talent on advertising and like 
enterprises, and the result is, a good promoter, but a 
poor preacher. Like a good watch, all the parts need 
to move and work together and all at once, in order 
to get results. For this reason we have seen fit to in- 
clude this lesson on advertising for the benefit of 
ministers. 

2. A Light Should Not Be Hidden. 

A reason why the gospel and its enterprises should 
be advertised is that a light should not be hid, but 
set where all can see it. There are two things that 
must be accomplished if the masses of the people are 
to be reached with the gospel and the tide of sin 


332 Evangelism 


stemmed. More and more we must find ways to get 
the people to come to the places where the gospel is 
to be preached. 

3. Right Advertising Means More to Be Saved. 

Paul said: ‘‘I was determined to become all things 
to all men, that by all means I might save some.’’ If 
our failure as preachers, or our weak place, is along 
this line, then we ought to study this line. 


III. VARIOUS METHODS OF ADVERTISING 


There are so many methods of advertising—. e., of 
accomplishing the purposes stated above—that it would 
be impossible to name all. We shall name a few and 
discuss some of them. 

1. The Old Method of Sermon Advertising. 

One old method in planning the sermons for a three- 
weeks meeting was to plan a week of popular sermons 
to get the crowd; a week of doctrinal sermons to teach 
the people; a week of hortatory sermons to reach the 
people. While one of these old-time evangelists would 
have resented being so told, yet the fact is he might 
have frankly classed his first week of preaching as 
advertising. If the advertising can be done in some 
better way, and save the sermons for other purposes, 
as well as save the time, is it not better? 

2. The Chain Telephone Method. 

The evangelist is the head of the chain. He 
chooses ten good members whom he will call and give 
a message in regard to the meeting. They are to take 
this message and pass it on just as received to ten 
other members each, who have been _ previously 
assigned to them. This makes one hundred church- 


Evangelism 333 


members working at the task. From the phone direc- 
tory a list of a thousand names has been listed and 
divided into tens. These have been assigned, by 
tens, to each of the hundred church-members. They 
receive the message from their captain and pass it out 
just exactly as received. If desired, the evangelist 
can choose a general captain over all. Thus the evan- 
gelist makes one phone call to the general captain. 
He ealls ten, and the result is that there have soon 
been eleven hundred phone calls made. The message 
should be started just as it is eventually expected to 
be shaped for the outsider. Something like the fol- 
lowing: ‘‘Hello! Mrs. Brown? This is Mrs. Blank. I 
have just called to tell you that there is an unusually 
interesting revival going on in the church of Christ 
on Main Street, and I want to invite you to come 
to-night.’’ 

3. The Calling Method. 

In general there is no printed matter that can 
equal a personal invitation. Therefore, in sending 
out the first printed bills of a revival, there should be 
enough printed for every house in town. Good 
women should be sent with these bills (never boys 
on this first round). These callers should eall at 
every door of every kind, knock, extend a personal 
invitation and leave the bill. This will get some re- 
buffs, but will get results. By many actual tests, 
sixty people can call on three thousand homes in two 
hours. 

4. The Use of Children. 

When rightly used, children are the best adver- 
tisers on earth. When used, they should not be used 


334 Evangelism 


apparently as advertisers. What we have in mind 
is simply cultivating the friendship of children. If 
you were going into a place as a stranger, we can 
suggest no better thing than to, as quickly as possi- 
ble, make a friend of every urchin on the streets. 
You will quickly be known in all the homes, and 
favorably at that, if the children are for you. 

5. Moving Pictures. 

Moving pictures are a good thing in many com- 
munities if rightly used. Some have made the mis- 
take of trying to make the pictures deliver the 
message. They simply can not do that. If one will 
use the pictures as a part of the opening service, but 
in his mind, class them frankly as advertising and 
nothing more, they will prove a successful help. Of 
course, they should not be advertised as advertising, 
but advertised for the interest there is in them. The 
fact that they are advertising should be recognized, 
however, by the one who uses them. Many who 
would not come to hear any sermon, come to see a 
good and well-advertised picture, and, incidentally, 
they hear the gospel and like it, though they thought 
they would not. 

6. Theater Ads and Street Signs. 

While these are different, we mention them 
together for brevity. Most all the other good things 
in town are mentioned on the curtain, and if there 
is a legitimate and popular theater, or preferably 
picture-show house, against which there is not a prej- 
udice that would spoil the effect of the advertising, 
we know no reason why, in cases, this should not be 
used to tell of the church. Be it remembered that 


Evangelism 335 


millions every day attend the moving-picture houses 
and will be reminded of the call of the gospel. Other 
enterprises yet find the large street sign worth the 
cost, and, if so, why not the church? 

7. Bills and Posters. 

We merely mention these here, and will give them 
special attention further on. 

8. Newspapers. 

The newspaper is one of the great institutions 
of the day, and is a power for good or evil. If the 
preacher of the gospel does not know how to make 
large use of the newspaper, he simply ought to learn 
how. We shall discuss this in detail in a later para- 
graph. 

9. Special Days and Enterprises. 

This we discuss in the closing paragraph, and but 
mention it here. 


IV. FOUR FUNDAMENTALS OF PRINTED 
ADVERTISING 


Printed advertising of any kind that fails in any 
one of the following principles of advertising is a 
failure and worthless, and means wasted money. 
Every piece of advertising drafted should be checked 
for these things and studied to see whether it will 
fill these requirements when thought of in terms of 
the uninterested outsider. 

1. It Must Attract Attention. 

Bearing in mind that advertising must first of all 
attract attention, consideration should be given to 
what there is in any proposed piece of advertising to 


attract attention. What it takes to attract attention 
22 


336 Evangelism 


is partly determined by the locality and the times. What 
might attract attention in a rural community might 
attract no attention in a city. We can mention but 
a few of the things that help in this line. 

(1) Something new. Never use forms of adver- 
tising that some one else has previously used. Lead 
the way, do not follow. If some one else has used 
it, avoid it. ; 

(2) Color contrasts. It is better to spend more 
money and get results, than to spend less and get no 
results. It costs more for two-run, double-color print- 
ing, but it pays. Red ink does not necessarily cheapen 
advertising or take away its dignity; it may add to 
it. The ordinary-sized, black-and-white bill has been 
used by everybody in every community, until no- 
body pays any attention to it. 

(3) Size. The small dodger-bill is of very little 
use anywhere since the large, attractive war bulletins 
accustomed everybody’s eyes to large, attractive, 
highly colored posters. The small, unattractive dodger 
simply ean not be seen, or, rather, will not. We sug- 
gest two ways of getting large bills at little above 
ordinary cost. 

Show-bills. Large, two-color show-bills, specially 
printed, can be gotten from show-bill printing com- 
panies. These cost, for 36x48-inch bills, about 
$50 a thousand. By a number of Christian churches 
combining and drafting material that is general 
to all, $10 apiece will provide each of five churches 
with two hundred large show-bills that will be seen and 
read. These will do more advertising than thousands 
of small, unseen bills. Blank space can be left at the 


Evangelism 337 


bottom for place, date and special announcement, 
and this added by local printer as required. 

Hand-made, large posters or bulletins. Almost 
any minister or committee can have large, many- 
colored bills at little expense. From the printer get 
sheets of book-paper, 24x36 inches. Make your own 
easel and drafting-board. Buy good, red sable 
brushes. They cost much more, but an amateur can. 
do good work with them where it is impossible to do 
good work with camel’s hair brushes. Get small tubes 
of red and black printer’s ink and ‘‘cut’’ it with gaso- 
line. Work brush out each time on piece of glass or 
paper before touching work. Take some lessons from 
a sign-painter if possible. Practice lends skill. Give 
your fancy free rein. These bills can be tacked on 
boards of the same size made from boxes, at no cost. 

(4) Abundance of repetition. The psychology of 
advertising requires much repetition. Let the same 
thing strike the passer-by in the eye again and again. 
He will begin to take notice. Post up a dozen bills 
of the same kind in a row. Put them at every turn. 
Keep on. Repetition will tell. 

(5) Unusual pictures. Pictures are useful to 
break the monotony of the make-up of bills, but have 
been used so much that they have little other value 
in attracting attention, unless unusual. If you can 
draw cartoons, or can learn, then draw these in India 
ink and get your newspaper to make etchings, which 
you can use in printing your bills. Posed cuts will 
get attention on bills and space in the newspapers 
where other cuts will not. A picture of yourself hold- 
ing hands in a circle with twenty tots will do more 


338 Evangelism 


to advertise your Sunday school than the best cut 
of yourself. 

(6) Display and attractive arrangement. A crowded 
bill packed full and monotonously arranged will 
neither attract attention nor get itself read. Avoid 
ugly, commonplace arrangement. Make a practice 
of studying the make-up of posters of all kinds and 
everywhere. Appropriate this knowledge for the 
work of the Lord. These are but a few of the ways 
that may be used. Space demands that we leave the 
others to the ingenuity of the student. 

2. Must Hold the Interest and Secure Complete 
Reading. 

A bill that attracts attention and stops at that has 
failed. There must be something in it to hold the 
attention until the facts proclaimed have gotten to 
the reader. Every bill drafted should be studied to 
see whether it contains this element. Study it from 
the standpoint of the ordinary passer-by. We men- 
tion a few means that may be used: 

Something unusual announced, or announced in a 
very unusual and striking way; acrostic arrangement; 
long lists of alliterations; bills arranged same as half 
the front of a newspaper, exactly imitating news- 
paper ‘‘get-up,’’ with scare-heads, slug-heads, sub- 
heads and reading-matter, advertisement, cuts and all. 

Your own advertising interlinked with informa- 
tion on something that has the whole public atten- 
tion at the time. 

3. Must Arouse a Desire to Investigate. 

Advertising, though attracting attention and secur- 
ing a reading, has yet failed entirely if it fails to 


Evangelism 339 


arouse a desire to follow it up, or look into the thing 
advertised. Means to that end must be in every 
piece of printed advertising. Among the means we 
mention a few in general. The ‘‘you’’ interest must 
here prevail instead of the ‘‘we’’ or ‘‘I’’ interest. 
Show the reader there is something for him. 

(1) Curiosity. Curiosity is one of the first and 
easiest approaches to human interest. Work to arouse 
curiosity. 

(2) Crowd interest. Human beings follow the 
erowd. Let a crowd begin to gather anywhere and 
for any purpose, and larger crowds will immediately 
erowd around. Use this wisdom in getting a hear- 
ing for the Word. Get a crowd and then tell all the 
people the facts and there will be yet larger crowds. 

(3) Success. Never advertise failure, but never 
fail to becomingly advertise success. Horace Greeley 
said, ‘‘Nothing succeeds like success,’’ in which Mr. 
Greeley said a wise thing. Few people can resist suc- 
cess, though they may be otherwise naturally hostile. 
Use this feature, if possible, in securing the third 
feature of your advertising. 

(4) Desire to hear or see the unusual. Noel Shaw 
once promised that if a large crowd would come out 
on the following night he would show them how to 
make a pair of shoes in a minute. They came. He 
brought an old pair of boots and when the time came, 
calmly cut the tops off and slitted the front and 
punched eyelets. Then he said: ‘‘You have come to 
see me make a pair of shoes in a minute, and I have. 
Now I am going to show you in a few more minutes 
how your eternal souls can be saved for all eternity,’’ 


340 Evangelism 


and he did. We would not suggest a repetition of the 
performance, but a deep pondering of the underlying 
psychology. 

(5) Desire to know. There are some things that 
almost every normal soul wants to know. There are 
some of these things that a Christian preacher can 
answer. Take advantage of that in planning the 
advertising. These are but a few of the psychologic 
facts that may be made usable in planning good 
advertising. 

4. Satisfied Customers. 

The American Advertising Association met in 
national meeting some time ago and adopted, as their 
central and scheme word, the word ‘‘truth.’’ These 
greatest advertisers wrote it down once and for all 
that advertising that does not tell the truth is worse 
than no advertising. 

(1) The final test. All the advertising in the 
world will do little good in the long run unless those 
reached become satisfied customers. If a standard 
shoe is advertised at half the usual price and the cus- 
tomers find that the shoe was not the standard at all, 
but a cheap substitute, the advertising campaign has 
worse than failed. It has wrecked all future possi- 
bilities. 

(2) Delivery. Advertise what you can deliver, 
and by all means deliver what you advertise. If you 
say there will be a crowd, then have a crowd, or a 
frightful storm as a perfectly satisfactory excuse. 
It does not pay to say in the newspapers that great 
crowds are attending every night, and then allow 
each one who comes to discover that that simply is 


Evangelism 341 


not so. Do not pick the wrong thing to stress in the 
advertising. If you have, or are sure to have, a 
crowd, advertise that, if you desire, but if you are not 
sure, then pick something else to advertise. 

(3) Stick to truth. Stick to truth, not imagina- 
tion, in advertising. If you advertise the ‘‘friendly 
church,’’ take no risks of any one coming and re- 
ceiving a cool reception. Make the church a friendly 
church if it is the last thing you ever do. Otherwise 
do not advertise friendliness. If for any reason some- 
thing comes up by which you are totally unable to 
deliver the goods advertised, frankly tell the public 
you failed, and why. 


V. NEWSPAPER ADVERTISING 


Our final word is in regard to newspaper adver- 
tising. The same general principles apply to news- 
paper advertising as to all advertising. This is true 
of both news story and ‘‘display ads.’’ 

1. Relative Value of Paid ‘‘Display Ads’’ and News 
Stories. 

There is practically no comparison as to values. 
The news story is in every way superior. It some- 
times pays to buy and pay for a ‘‘display ad’’ in 
order to open the way to get a news story. We are 
using the word ‘‘story’’ in the newspaper sense, by 
which we mean any article relating items of interest. 
Get the news story if there is any way to get it. 

2. Why Space Is Hard to Get for News Stories 
about Religious Work. 

Preachers as a class, and for most part, simply 
can not write newspaper material. Preachers may 


342 Evangelism 


deny this statement or resent it, but any editor will 
confirm it. Most preachers have never tried to learn 
how to write readable news material. They have the 
greatest story on earth, of interest to more people, 
they conduct the most important enterprise in the com- 
munity, yet they simply can not write it up in news 
form. Every preacher ought to know how to write 
material that is not only acceptable, but desirable, for 
the newspaper. We can not here enter into a dis- 
cussion of how to write, but we make the following 
two suggestions. 

Study your own newspaper ‘‘write-ups’’ of your 
work from the standpoint of the strict outsider, and see 
whether, if you were the outsider, there is anything 
to catch your attention or hold your attention or 
arouse any desire to investigate. Then take the same 
list of facts contained and write them up ten times in 
ten different ways, trying to get the desired results. 
Pick out one fact with which you start, and build all 
the rest around it. Try to pick a fact that has some 
human interest in it. 

Go to school to the editor or reporter. You can 
tell him much about what to do to be saved, but he 
ean tell you much about how to write things so 
that people will read them and be interested. He 
will be glad to do it. Tell him frankly you recognize 
your failing and want to learn. Meantime, you may 
elicit the interest of the editor in yourself and your 
enterprise until he will take the trouble to write many 
a good story about your work. Incidentally, you 
may convert the editor, which is a final achievement 
in not only good advertising, but soul-saving. 


Evangelism 343 


VI. OTHER FORMS OF ADVERTISING 


i. The Street Parade. 

From time immemorial the well-prepared parade 
or pageant has been one of the forms of advertising. 
This has been used on a national scale, as in the 
great mission pageants of recent years, and when 
rightly used and abundantly prepared for can be used ° 
by a local church to wonderful advantage. 

2. Church Building in a Day. 

Where a tabernacle is being used, it should always 
be builded in one day, with as nearly the whole com- 
munity helping as it is possible to secure. This will 
do more to arouse a general interest, get unlimited 
newspaper space and win the sympathy of a whole 
community than any other one thing. 

3. Street Services. 

As a people we have used the street services but 
very little. However, the ‘‘faker’’ and the agitator 
and some religious bodies use this method to great and 
constant advantage. There is no reason why ways 
could not be employed by which a local church could 
take advantage of this method of getting the gospel 
and the enterprises of the church before the people. 

4, Special Days. 

The services of certain Sundays can be builded 
around things of special interest. ‘‘Home-coming,’’ 
‘‘harvest home,’’ ‘‘visitors’ day,’’ ‘‘old folks’ day,’’ 
‘‘yvoung folks’ day,’’ and so on without limit. Such 
days, well prepared for and well announced, reach 
the attention and interest of many in the community 
that could not otherwise be reached. 


344 Evangelism 


TEST QUESTIONS 


1. Give a threefold definition of advertising. 

2. From this definition tell why advertising is not 
only permissible, but important. 

3. Give some Scriptural examples of advertising. 

4. Give three good reasons for advertising gospel 
work. 

5. Discuss each in detail. 

6. Name at least nine methods of advertising. 

7. Describe how each is used. 

8. Give fundamental principles of advertising. 

9. How determine whether a proposed piece of 
advertising will be worth its cost? 

10. What determines what may attract attention? 

11. Name six methods of attracting attention. 

12. How overcome the difficulty of single-color and 
small-size bills? 

13. What of the uses of cuts? 

14. If advertising merely attracts attention, has it 
succeeded or failed? 

15. Mention five means of holding attention and 
securing a reading. 

16. Name five elements that may be used to arouse 
a desire to investigate or follow up. 

17. Discuss each of these elements. 

18. What is the fourth fundamental of advertising? 

19. Discuss the relative value of paid news ads 
and news stories. 

20. Why is news-story space hard to secure? 

21. Give two ways to overcome this difficulty. 

22. Give four other means of advertising. 


XXVI. 
GONSERVINGSTmEsRESULTS 


345 


OUTLINE STUDY XXVI. 


I. NECESSITY OF CONSERVING THE CONVERT. 
1. Its Significance. 
2. Its Importance. . 
II. THE EVANGELIST’S CONSERVATION. 
1. In His Preaching. 
2. In the Thoroughness of His Work. 
Ill. THE MINISTER’S CONSERVATION. 
1. In Genuine Concern for All. 
2. In a Definite Plan of Work. 
IV. THE MEANS OF CONSERVING THE RESULTS. 
. Early Reception into Church Fellowship. 
. Enlisting Interest of the Church Membership. 
. Special Services. 
. The Social Phase of the Work. 
. The Use of Literature. 
. Bnlisting Converts at Once. 
(1) In Bible Study. 
(2) In Some Definite Form of Christian Service. 


Oo onrm 08D 


346 


XXVI. 
CONSERVING THE RESULTS. 


I. NECESSITY OF CONSERVING THE CONVERT 


1. Its Significance. 

Conservation is a great word. It merely means 
the preservation from loss or waste or injury. We 
hear much about conservation in these times. In 
fact, it is imperative on account of the multiplied 
demands made by the awful tragedy of the recent 
World War. But in spiritual things such tremendous 
issues are involved that we should be even more 
eareful in making it effective. And nowhere so much 
as at the close of an evangelistic campaign is the 
need of conservation so imperative. 

2. Its Importance. 

The permanency of the evangelistic work depends 
much, very much, upon the fidelity of the minister 
and faithful workers just at this point. 

It is a regrettable fact that many of those who 
have accepted Christ will slip back again into the old 
life, if some one does not care for them and carefully 
direct their feet in the paths of usefulness and 
knowledge. 

Conservation of results should begin with the 
preparation for the revival to be held. And the fact 


that the minister holds his own meeting does not 
347 


348 Evangelism 


alter the necessity of appointing the conservation 
committee along with the other usual, necessary com- 
mittees. Much preparation should be made for the 
‘‘babes in Christ’’ in the new Christian home. They 
should be fed upon the sincere milk of the Word, if 
they are to ‘‘grow in grace and in the knowledge 
of the truth.’’ : 

Let us always remember, concerning the new 
members received into the church, that our duty to- 
ward them has only just begun, and that their 
Christian characters will become largely what our 
churches make them. 

We need to realize that all of those who have 
come into our churches are just beginners. They 
have started, but we are to see that they do not turn 
back. They are souls we are to help and guide 
and teach and lead. 

New members coming into the church assume 
grave responsibilities, but their responsibilities are 
no greater than those laid upon the chureh. Much 
is going to depend, in all our churches, upon how we 
do our duty toward the new members received. 


II. THE EVANGELIST’S CONSERVATION 


There are two ways in which the evangelist can 
render a valuable service toward the conservation 
of the convert: First, in the character of his preach- 
ing, and, second, in the thoroughness of his work. 

1. In His Preaching. 

The business of the church and the business of 
the ministry is to convert men from evil unto God— 
to turn men from sin into the path of eternal life. 


Evangelism 349 


Evangelists everywhere know that this is true. The 
evangelist’s first and great task is to win men to Jesus 
Christ, the world’s Saviour. The erying need of the 
day in the evangelistic world is for preaching that 
gives evidence of more study and hard work on 
the part of the evangelist and hews a little closer to 
the injunction, ‘‘Preach the Word.”’ 

If our evangelists in their preaching would root 
our minds and hearts deep down in the fundamental 
truths of God’s word, we would find again the true 
conviction and sound conversion of New Testament 
days. When a person comes to Christ under these 
circumstances, he will not so easily be enticed again 
into the sinful elements of the world. 

2. In the Thoroughness of His Work. 

To the earnest New Testament evangelist there is 
something else of importance besides getting names 
on the membership roll. For this reason, many of 
our evangelists have the converts, after making the 
good confession, repair to an adjoining room, where 
the minister and workers get in personal touch with 
these new Christians. The evangelist should see to 
it that each department of the church work is pre- 
sented to the converts. In truth, thorough and con- 
scientious work must be done by both evangelist and 
minister, during the evangelistic campaign. 


III. THE MINISTER’S CONSERVATION 


‘‘After the meeting’’ is a time of special responsi- 
bility and special opportunity for the minister. The 
evangelist may have been ever so thorough, but if 
the minister is not just as thorough in the follow- 


350 Evangelism 


up work, much of the good accomplished will be lost. 
Conservation is, therefore, the chief work of a min- 
ister and his people. 

1. In Genuine Concern for Ali. 

It should be the minister’s constant endeavor to 
secure from each member of his flock, even the 
feeblest, some co-operation in the work to which the 
church is called. 

In genuine concern for all, he ought to keep be- 
fore their minds the extent and urgency of this work. 
The relation of the church to the community in 
which it stands, and its duty to do for the people round 
about the work that Christ would be doing if He 
were there, is the truth which he must constantly 
urge upon the consciences of his people. The possi- 
bility and the duty of some active participation in 
this work by every one of the new converts, as well 
as the older children of God, must be faithfully en- 
forced. The minister must have genuine concern for 
all in the church in order to reach and hold and 
build them up in the fear of God and in the doctrine of 
the gospel. 

2. In a Definite Plan of Work. 

No minister can expect to have good results with- 
out a definite plan of work in conserving the re- 
sults. We are sometimes inclined to say that it 
would be better for all our churches if they could 
be sifted, as Gideon’s army was sifted; if the faint- 
hearted and the worldly minded could all be sent to 
the rear, and. only the brave and faithful were left 
in the ranks. But this is the counsel of unwisdom. 
These timid and indifferent people in the church are 


Evangelism 351 


worth saving, and the only way to save them is to 
set them to work. Even if the work which they 
undertake is but slight, it will be good for them 
to feel that they are identified with the life of the 
church. In order to secure this co-operation of all, 
including the new converts, the first thing to be done 
is to have some definite plan of work and then con- 
scientiously work the plan. 


III. MEANS OF CONSERVING THE RESULTS 


1. Early Reception into Church Fellowship. 

Gather the converts into the church fellowship 
at once. They should be made to see that their alle- 
giance to Jesus Christ involves a responsibility to 
the institution that Christ established to propagate 
His gospel throughout the world. 

The church as a whole should have a grand recep- 
tion, at which time future plans for church work 
ean be outlined and old and new members become 
acquainted with each other. This will increase their 
interest in each other, and assist them in ‘‘mutual 
burden-bearing.”’ 

2. Enlisting Interest of the Church Membership. 

There is a lot of unutilized interest in the church. 
And the wise and vigilant minister will not fail to 
find some task for every member of the church to 
do. ‘‘Rounding up’’ of the converts, is a work in 
which every member can have a part, if the assign- 
ments of such work be carefully made. 

3. Special Service. 

Special services should be held devoted to such 


themes as are fundamental to a true and earnest Chris- 
23 


252 Evangelism 


tian life. Certainly this is a duty every minister 
owes to those uniting with the church. 

4. Social Phase of the Work. 

It is important that frequent meetings for the 
promotion of acquaintance and fellowship be held— 
meetings to which the entire membership should be 
invited. One of the deepest needs of our churches 
is a more perfect fellowship. It is needed to 
develop and express Christian sentiments of good 
will. It will aid greatly in cultivating and manifest- 
ing a genuine Christian brotherhood of ‘‘laborers 
together with God.”’ 

5. The Use of Literature. 

The minister should see that every convert gets 
some good literature especially adapted to the need 
of those having just entered the Christian life. 

Tracts may be used advantageously in strength- 
ening and making secure the young Christian in his 
new life. Use tracts and good books freely in the 
work of conservation. 

6. Enlisting Converts at Once. 

Just as important as any of the things we have 
mentioned is that the convert should be enlisted 
actively at once in two definite forms of work. 

(1) In Bible study. The Bible is the guide-book 
to govern every Christian. It is the business man’s 
best adviser, the housewife’s best guide, the Chris- 
tian’s best directory, and the young man’s best 
companion. The Bible is the regulator of all worthy 
standards, the answer to the deepest human heart 
hungerings. It should fill the mind of every Chris- 
tian, rule his heart and guide his feet. He should 


Evangelism 353 


read it slowly, carefully and prayerfully; not simply 
because he has been commanded to ‘‘study to show’’ 
himself ‘‘approved unto God,’’ but because it is a 
mine of wealth, and the only guide-book in Chris- 
tian living. It involves the highest responsibility, 
and will reward the greatest labor. 

The proper use of the Bible is absolutely nec- 
essary to the development of the Christian life. The. 
necessity of the daily study of the Seriptures as a 
means of spiritual nourishment and culture is the 
more apparent when we consider the fact that a 
ereat part of our Christian life is made up of activi- 
ties. The nourishment of the Scriptures is as neces- 
sary to the spiritual hfe as that of food to the body. 

Such a Bible class, therefore, should be organized 
as will afford the new convert opportunity for the 
study of the Word, which will best suit his need in 
the early experience of his Christian life. 

(2) In Christian service. Our belief in Christ 
must culminate in Christian service or else the belief 
itself will wither away. Jesus said: ‘‘Even so let your 
light shine before men; that they may see your good 
works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven’’ 
(Matt. 5:16). In giving His parting instruction to 
His disciples, Jesus said: ‘‘Go ye therefore, and make 
disciples of all the nations’’ (Matt. 28:19). These 
passages ring with an optimistic call to service. We 
first express our belief in Christ and then go to work 
to render faithful, loving service. 

It will be a great day when the thousands upon 
thousands of professing Christians come to a burn- 
ing consciousness that service is the keynote of the 


304. Evangelism 


Christian’s life. The pressing need in every genera- 
tion is that the Christian should make a business of 
‘“serving’’ even as did our Lord. It is the Christian’s 
first work. We can not too often remind ourselves 
that we can but serve Him by ‘‘serving’’ one 
another. 

Whether we feel like serving or not, as Chris- 
tians we must serve until we do feel like it, for this 
is the means which has been entrusted to us, by 
which we can lift the world. 

a. Personal work. The most effective service is 
accomplished through personal work. Every man 
who accepts Christ becomes, in a certain sense, a per- 
sonal worker to enlist others in His service and to 
give them the light of life. 

b. Teaching. Jesus Himself taught the people, in 
large and small groups, on the mountain (Matt. 5: 
1, 2), in the synagogue (Matt. 4:23), by the seaside 
(Mark 2:18) and in the temple (Matt. 26:55). He 
set an example of painstaking instruction for His 
followers. 

e. Ministering to the sick. All of us should seek 
the privilege of ministering directly to the comforts 
and recovery of the sick. Wherever Jesus went, the 
people thronged about Him for the healing touch. 
He used His mighty power to heal and help 
humanity. There are many that are sick in body 
and mind. Here is a large field for this service of 
love and mercy. 

d. Caring for the needy. It is the commonplace 
of Christ’s teachings that we should care for the 
poor, afflicted and destitute. 


Evangelism 300 


We need to see with unmistakable clearness that 
Christian service is not simply spiritual ministry to 
men’s souls, but that ‘‘pure religion and undefiled 
before our God and Father is this, to visit the father- 
less and widows in their affliction, and to keep one- 
self unspotted from the world’’ (Jas. 1:27). 

e. Reclamation of character. It is every Christian’s 
duty to work for the reclamation of character. We 
need to fill our hearts with deep compassion for 
those who have fallen ‘‘by the wayside,’’ and hasten 
the reclamation of character for the sake of Jesus 
Christ our Lord. 

f. Specialized service. By specialized service we 
mean work designed to serve a certain end or ends. 
Some must be wholly occupied in direct specialized 
service, but all must be wholly devoted to the great 
tasks of the church. The work of a Christian is not 
reserved for peculiar talents. The task is as wide as 
life, with room for every human ability. 

These are only a few of the suggestions that 
might profitably be made concerning the conserva- 
tion of results of an evangelistic campaign. 

If the minister will give himself, with studious ear- 
nestness to this work, he will not be disappointed in 
the permanent results of his recent evangelistic 
meeting. 

TEST QUESTIONS 


1. What is the significance of conservation? 

2. Why conserve the convert? 

3. What are the two ways in which the evangelist 
can render valuable service? 


356 Evangelism 


4. What is the chief business of the evangelist? 

5. How will thoroughness in his work aid con- 
servation? 

6. Why do you consider conservation the chief 
work of the minister? 

7. Can a minister have results without a definite 
plan of work? ‘ 

8. Why early reception of the convert into the 
chureh? 

9. Why should the entire membership be enlisted 
in the work? 

10. Why hold special services? 

11. What advantages in the use of good litera- 
ture? 

12. In what two special things should the con- 
vert be enlisted? 

13. Why study the Bible? 

14. What lines of service are offered? 

15. Where does God eall you? 


XXVIL. 
FINANCING THE MEETING 


357 


OUTLINE STUDY XXVII. 


I, THE PROBLEM STATED. 
1. The Evangelist. 
2. The Church. 
II. TWO GENERAL PLANS. 
1. Freewill-offering Plan. 
2. The Salary Plan. 
III. THE SUCCESSFUL ‘‘KELLEM PLAN.’’ 


358 


XxX VLG 
FINANCING THE MEETING. 


I, THE PROBLEM STATED 


1. The Church. 

One of the most difficult questions in arranging 
for a series of evangelistic meetings by the average 
church is, ‘‘How can we finance it?’’ Many a church 
would have an evangelistic awakening if they could 
see how the money could be provided. This is 
most certainly looking at the problem from the 
wrong angle. Jf our people would first face the 
situation by asking the question, ‘‘How many souls 
can we save?’’ and, instead of worrying about the 
money, devote all of their time and energy to the 
business of promoting the work and to the privilege 
of winning men and women to the Christ and His 
church, they would find at the close of the meeting 
the finances all taken care of and a splendid harvest 
of souls. Let us have more faith in God, in the evan- 
gelist and in ourselves, and the money question will 
not look so large. 

2. The Evangelist. 

A few years ago, one of our evangelists, in nego- 
tiating with a church for a meeting, made this state- 


ment: ‘‘If we have a good meeting, the money will 
359 


360 Evangelism 


come easily; if not, we don’t deserve much.’’ The 
first part of this statement is very significant, and 
every evangelist should understand its deepest 
meaning. 

It is our strong conviction that an evangelist 
should hold a meeting, regardless of the finances, in 
as many fields as. possible, where his methods of 
work are adapted to the condition of the locality. If 
the meeting is needed, let the evangelist go into it 
with prayer and a zeal for souls, and God and the 
people will see to the money. Of course, every evan- 
gelist can not receive the amount desired or his 
usual fee, but the joy of having helped a struggling 
congregation, or having planted the plea of the New 
Testament in a new field, amply repays for the loss. 


II. TWO GENERAL PLANS 


1. Freewill-offering Plan. 

The freewill-offering plan has been successfully 
used by many of our conscientious evangelists and 
ministers. However, it is our candid opinion that 
the plan fails to meet the requirement of a real 
wholesome campaign for soul-winning. 

Where this plan is used, money must be men- 
tioned frequently, and, of course, given a very promi- 
nent consideration. If the evangelist has any mental 
reservations about looking after his own interest in 
this respect, he will not be sufficiently supported. 
If he mentions it frequently, then there are some 
who immediately question his motives as an evan- 
gelist, and think that he is more concerned about 
getting money than he is about winning souls. 


Evangelism 361 


The financial responsibility should always be 
placed upon the church and not upon the shoulder 
of the evangelist. 

2. The Salary Plan. 

This ‘‘stated amount’’ plan is not subject to the 
eriticisms which we have made against the freewill- 
offering plan. 

The church knows, beforehand, approximately 
what the meeting will cost, and can make provision 
for this item. When this plan is followed, many 
churches plan each year for their meeting, and in- 
elude this item of expense in the total yearly church 
budget. In this way the expense of the meeting is 
shared by all and becomes a matter of common re- 
sponsibility. We have no criticism to offer on the 
stated-salary plan, because each party knows the 
responsibility to be met before the meeting begins. 
Therefore, at the close of the soul-winning campaign, 
all are satisfied. 


III. THE SUCCESSFUL “KELLEM PLAN”’ 


The ‘‘Kellem Plan’’ for financing a meeting has 
been tried for many years, and is universally suc- 
cessful. 

By special permission we hereinafter present ex- 
tracts from Mr. Jesse Kellem’s latest book, ‘‘New 
Testament Evangelism,’’ Chapter VIII. 

We recommend this plan to our churches every- 
where as being the most successful and satisfactory 
plan of financing the meeting. 

‘‘T have seen a great many different plans tried, 
and in a large number of meetings, but this is the 


362 Evangelism 


best of all of them, for it partakes of the nature of 
the best in all of them. I do not claim any origi- 
nality for it, because it is not mine. I have picked 
up suggestions throughout the years, until gradually 
the plan has formed itself. Briefly stated, it is a 
combination of the pledge and freewill-offering plan. 
On the second Lord’s Day of the meeting, for reasons 
which we will notice later, pledges are taken in a 
public manner from the members of the church and 
from any friend of the church who desires to give. 
These pledges are to be made on the weekly basis, 
and they are to begin with the first Lord’s Day of 
the campaign and close with the last one. In addi- 
tion to these pledges, a freewill offering is to be 
taken every night of the meeting. On the last Lord’s 
Day an offering is to be taken from the new econ- 
verts. This is to be in the nature of a thank-offering, 
showing their appreciation of the work that has been 
done for them during the campaign. From these 
three sources—the pledges, the freewill offerings 
and the thank-offering at the close of the meeting— 
enough money will be secured to pay all of the bills 
of the campaign, and generally it will be found that 
it will provide a fine surplus when the meeting is 
over. 

‘‘Now, there are several reasons why the pledges 
for the support of the meeting should be taken on 
the second Lord’s Day: 

“‘(1) All the members will be present on the 
second Lord’s Day. It generally takes a week to get 
started in a good meeting, and by the end of the first 
week every one is becoming interested; they are 


Evangelism 363 


acquainted with the evangelist, and on that day they 
will all be present. 

‘*(2) They should be taken on this day, also, 
because it is right to get the finances out of the 
way in the first part of the meeting, so that the 
matter of soul-winning may be stressed from that 
time on to the close of the campaign. If the last 
of the meeting is used for this purpose, it leaves the 
wrong impression on the minds of the people, as we 
have already noted. If this day is used for the pur- 
pose, the matter of money will not interfere in any 
way with the progress of the campaign. 

“*(3) The pledges should be taken thus early, 
in order to tie the members up with the work to be 
done. As we have before said, there is no better way 
for a man to become interested in the work of lead- 
ing men to Christ than for him to put some of his 
life into it, and money is coined life. Into a dollar 
he has coined a part of his muscle and his brain, and 
he has thus made that dollar sacred. When he in- 
vests some of that life in the work of saving his 
brethren from their sins, he will immediately become 
vitally interested in the success of the work. ‘‘ Where 
thy treasure is there will thy heart be’’ (Matt. 6:21). 

‘‘(4) The pledges should be taken on the second 
Lord’s Day, because, if they are taken thus early, 
the last part of the meeting will be left free so that 
the evangelist can tie up the new converts with the 
work of the church in a financial way. That this is 
one of the most potent ways to hold a man in the 
kingdom is easily understood, and time must be left 
for it. 


i) 


364 Evangelism 


‘‘In preparation for the second Lord’s Day, a 
special meeting of the officers of the church should 
be called. This meeting should be called early in the 
week, so that time may be given for the preparation 
which is so essential to the best success. It is a 
good plan to have this meeting on the way the very 
first Lord’s Day, and not later than Tuesday night. 
At this meeting the evangelist should explain care- 
fully the plan to be followed, or, rather, the plan that 
he has followed up to this time. He should not place 
it before his brethren in a dogmatic manner, but 
rather as the best plan he has known. He should 
recognize that their community may be a little differ- 
ent from others in which he has served, but that, 
generally speaking, the plan he suggests is the best 
one he has known. He must clearly state it, so that 
there may be no possibility at all of any misunder- 
standing. If he follows this method, he will find 
that the board will enthusiastically adopt his plan, 
and that he will have them solidly behind it. In a 
word, it will become their plan. At this meeting, also, 
a financial committee should be appointed, if one does 
not already exist, and on this committee the strongest 
men should be placed. Now, this committee should 
not be too large; three, or at most five, men will be 
found to be sufficient. At this meeting, also, it 
should be decided who is to be the master of cere- 
monies on the day the pledges are to be taken. It 
is sometimes a good thing, also, to get some of the 
pledges from the officers of the board that very night. 
Careful preparation will go far in bringing the suc- 
cess desired. 


Evangelism 365 


““The duties of the finance committee are very 
important. They should come together as soon as 
possible after the meeting of the board and decide 
upon the weekly budget which must be raised. Of 
course, every item of expense—salaries, traveling 
expenses, entertainment, advertising, etc.—must be 
included. As soon as the amount to be raised is 
determined, then it is a good plan to decide on how ° 
much shall be asked for as the highest weekly pledge. 
This will depend altogether on the amount to be 
raised. It has been my own experience that one- 
third of the weekly expense should be secured in the 
first four pledges. This will, of course, be modified 
by the amount to be raised and the number of mem- 
bers in the church to raise it. The committee should 
then quietly canvass the best givers of the congrega- 
tion during the week, and secure from them the 
largest pledges, so that, on the morning of the second 
Lord’s Day, everything will go smoothly and without 
any hitch. 

“In answer to the question which always arises 
here as to who should preside on the day of raising 
the pledges, no definite answer can be given. Gen- 
erally speaking, if the minister of the church is a 
popular man with his congregation, if he has a 
good bit of humor in his makeup, if he has enthu- 
siasm, he will be the best man for the work. Many 
times, however, the minister does not possess these 
necessary characteristics, and it would be a grave 
mistake to have him try to secure the pledges. 
There are times when it is necessary for the evan- 
gelist to do this work, although it is not the best 


366 Evangelism 


taste for him to do it. He should reserve his part in 
raising money until the last of the meeting, when 
he is to take time to raise debts, if there be any, and 
to pledge the new people to the local work and mis- 
sions. The man appointed to do this work must be 
one who can keep his audience in a good humor all 
the way through. 

‘‘In preparing for the second Lord’s Day service, 
some psychological helps should be taken into account. 
If possible, on the evenings just preceding that day, 
a great effort should be made to secure a number of 
fine additions to the church. There is nothing that 
will put people in the right mood for this day like 
additions to the church, for this is an evidence that 
the work is succeeding. It is also good to make a great 
endeavor for a Bible-school invitation just preced- 
ing the morning service. The teachers and officers 
ean be working on this all through the week, and 
everything will be in readiness for the great day. 
The Bible-school service should be a little shorter 
than usual, so as to give plenty of time for the invi- 
tation. The Bible school must close promptly, so 
all the time needed may be given for the work of 
securing the pledges. If, in the invitation, a touch- 
ing appeal can be made, and a number of boys and 
girls and men and women can be induced to confess 
their faith in Christ, the atmosphere will be just 
right for the following important service. It should 
be emphasized all through the week that the main 
invitation on the Lord’s Day morning will be ex- 
tended at the Bible-school hour. It will be of little 
use to expect any additions after the regular morn- 


Evangelism 367 


ing service on the day when the pledges are taken. 
The main emphasis has been placed on finance, and 
it is seldom that any one responds at the morning 
invitation. It should be kept in mind, however, that 
the objective to be reached in that service is the 
financing of the meeting, and everything should be 
made to contribute to that end. 

‘‘The service itself, at which the pledges are 
taken, is one of peculiar interest. Everything possi- 
ble that will tend in any way to interfere with the 
work in hand must be sidetracked. The first song 
should be the communion hymn. After the com- 
munion and offering, another hymn ean be sung. 
After this hymn, and preceding the morning ser- 
mon, the one who has been chosen to secure the 
pledges should then take charge and do the work. 
This should always be done before the sermon, and 
never after it. Remembering that this is the objec- 
tive to be reached, it should have, after the com- 
munion supper itself, the first place. If you have 
time left for a sermon after this work has been 
accomplished, well and good. The sermon, however, 
on this occasion must take the secondary place. The 
one who is to raise the money should then state 
clearly the work that he wishes to do, that it is to be 
done in order to get the financial side of the meeting 
out of the way, in order that the time may be spent 
in winning souls, and that at the close of the meeting 
the evangelist may have the time for the purpose of 
lining up the new converts with the work of the 
ehurech. He should state carefully the budget to be 


yaised and the terms of the pledges, that they are to 
24 


368 Evangelism 


begin with the first Lord’s Day of the meeting and 
to close with the last one, each Lord’s Day counting 
one full week. This must be made so clear that no 
one can misunderstand it. It is well, if he can do 
so, to give a glowing and enthusiastic commenda- 
tion of the success that has already been accom- 
plished and a prophecy of the results which will 
come in the future days of the meeting. In asking 
for pledges, it will be of value if he will begin higher 
than the amounts that he knows have already been 
pledged. Then, when he comes to the largest pledges 
that have been made, every one will be anxious to 
do their part, and he will find the work easy. 

‘*‘A moment may be very profitably given just 
here to the consideration of the freewill offerings 
to be taken during the meeting. In times past, there 
were many who objected to taking a public offering, 
and even now there are occasionally a few who 
think that it is not just the thing to do. But why 
not? In these modern days your audience is con- 
tinually changing. Every night there are new 
people, and these people are used to giving to the 
church. Not only so, but it is good to teach men 
that money has a place in the work of the kingdom 
of God. Many good men have failed in the service 
of the King because they were afraid of money. 
These offerings, while they may not be always large, 
depending, of course, upon the size of the audience 
attending, will help in a fine way, and they should 
be taken. Not only so, but they should be taken 
every night, especially if the place where the meet- 
ing is being held is of any size at all. As to the 


° 


Evangelism 369 


effect on these offerings after the pledges are taken, 
it might be here noted that it does not seem materially 
to affect them at all. The members of the church 
know that their part is to be paid in pledges, hence 
the loose offerings of each evening are, as a rule, 
from those who do not belong to the chureh or 
those from sister churches. 

‘A fine surplus in the treasury of the church, 
after the meeting is closed, will have a great effect 
upon the membership. It will make the next evan- 
gelistic campaign easier, for the people will remem- 
ber the ease with which they financed the former 
one. It will make them happy, also, because it will 
mean success, and nothing succeeds like success. It 
is, therefore, a fine thing to strive in every cam- 
paign you hold to leave money in the treasury of the 
church. It will make the work of the minister less 
difficult, and will leave the people kindly disposed 
toward you and the great work you are doing for 
the King.’’ 

TEST QUESTIONS 


1. State the problem. 

2. What are the two general plans? 

3. What are the advantages of the freewill-offer- 
ing plan? 
4, Why is the salary plan subject to criticism? 

5. What is the most successful plan? 

6. Give in detail the ‘‘Kellem Plan.’’ 





XXVIIL 


AN ADEQUATE EVANGELISTIC. 
PROGRAM FOR THE LOCAL 
CHURCH 


OUTLINE STUDY XXVIII 


I. RECRUITING. 


1. 
. Revival in Every Church. 
. Bnlisting the Unaffiliated. 
. Observe Decision Day. 


to 


ci oO 


Increase of Membership. 


Every Teacher an Evangelist. 


II. TRAINING. 


L, 
oi 
oe 


Personal Evangelism. 
School of Evangelism. 
Evangelistic Library. 


III. SERVING. 


Ow WD A 


. Group Evangelism. 
. Special Groups. 


Life Recruits. 


. Field Survey. 
. House-to-house Evangelism. 


Every Preacher Evangelizing. 


XXVITI. 


AN ADEQUATE EVANGELISTIC PROGRAM FOR THE LOCAL 
CHURCH. 


HE chief end of the church is to carry on the 

work which brought Christ into the world (Luke 
19:10; Acts 1-8). All things should be made to serve 
this purpose. 

The activities and methods in the work of evan- 
gelism have a wide range. What is highly successful 
in one community may prove, however, a failure in 
another. The means which produces large results at 
one time, tried again in the same place at another 
time, may show very small results. The prob- 
lem of each church and community needs to be 
studied, and that means may be properly adjusted and 
adapted to the end sought to be accomplished. It is 
remarkable how Jesus always adapted Himself to the 
time and circumstances. It is the really earnest 
spirit desiring to bring men to Christ which will pro- 
duce the largest results. Mere machinery of effort is 
doomed to failure, but when the spirit is in the wheels 
and is adequate to the moving of them, the results 
are sure to be large. 

More and more the church is feeling the responsi- 
bility for the welfare of the individual and of society 


and of the State. Hence, the activity of the church 
373 


374 Evangelism 


is seeking to evangelize men, not only at home, but 
throughout the world. 

It is a fact, however, that every church needs an 
adequate evangelistic program in order that this 
work may be prosecuted with the utmost vigor and 
enthusiasm. 

We suggest in this study a few aims and plans in 
the field of church and Bible-school evangelism. 


I. RECRUITING 


1. Increase of Membership of Local Church. 

With the church aroused and each individual mem- 
ber seeking to do his best, many will be added to the 
membership of the church, having been won to Christ. 
To secure the best results the church should fix the 
number of accessions desired. This can best be deter- 
mined by a given percentage of increase of the mem- 
bership. 

2. Every Church Have a Revival. 

A revival is a new beginning of obedience to God. 
Christians will have their faith renewed. This will 
lead them to labor zealously to bring others to 
Christ. They will feel grieved that others do not love 
God, when they love Him so much. And they will set 
themselves feelingly to persuade their friends to sur- 
render to Christ. For this reason every church should 
hold at least one revival during the year. 

3. Definite Campaign to Enlist Unaffiliated. 

A list of all the unaffiliated may be given to the 
members of the local church who will agree to call on 
them and to urge them kindly to identify themselves 
with the church as soon as possible. Many people are 


Evangelism 375 


not identified with the church to-day because they 
have never been personally invited. This special cam- 
paign of enlisting the unaffiliated should not be 
neglected. 

4. Observe Decision Day. 

Many decisions are made on Decision Day in the 
Bible school. However, if there were no results other 
than the influence of the invitation service, it would 
be well worth while. 

5. Every Teacher an Evangelist. 

It is the teacher’s business to lead his pupils to 
Christ. Let every teacher see to it that from this 
moment all the influences that go out from his class 
should be influences for Christ. 


II. TRAINING 


1. Personal Evangelism. 

(1) Why a study course. To the sincere Chris- 
tian, his greatest joy and privilege is the opportunity 
to make his Master known to others and to win them 
to the same glad service he has undertaken. To do 
this effectively, he must know his Bible and under- 
stand how to use it. One of the best aids he can 
secure to this end is a course of training in personal 
evangelism; the studies will help to thoroughly equip 
him to teach others the way of the Lord more per- 
fectly. The plan and contents of a practical hand- 
book in personal work should be such as to make it 
invaluable to the Christian worker in actual touch 
with individuals. There are many good courses, at 
present, for use as text-books for Bible-school classes, 
study groups, special classes and prayer-meetings. 


376 Evangelism 


(2) Suggested plans. Organized _Bible-school 
classes, special mid-week classes, pastorless churches 
on each Lord’s Day morning. Ministers and evan- 
eelists may organize special classes for the purpose 
of training workers for meetings. Also ladies’ aids 
and missionary societies. 

2. Schools of Evangelism. 

Every church represented in a school of evan- 
gelism. 

Call forces together and arrange for State, district 
or county school of evangelism. Be sure to take into 
consideration the number of churches and size of 
territory to be covered. 

3. Evangelistic Library. 

The minister of the church and the superintendent 
of the Bible school will do well to secure a permanent 
evangelistic library to be kept in constant circulation. 


III. SERVING 


1. Group Evangelism. 

Choose now a place, or places, where you and your 
members will go this year to plant a Bible school or 
outpost preaching-point or church of Christ, or to 
hold a meeting in and for a closed or struggling 
congregation. 

You may be able to bring to pass a county group 
evangelism rally. 

You may be able to be the means of arousing an 
interest that will result in district group evangelism. 

2. Special Groups. 

There are many outstanding examples to-day of 
this type of work. The attention of the church is 


Evangelism 377 


especially called to groups, such as Indians, foreigners. 

3. Life Recruits. 

Gospel bands and lay preachers are needed by the 
hundreds to help in all phases of gospel work in the 
outlying and smaller or unentered places. There is 
a work for every life recruit. 

4, Field Survey. 

Every church make survey of its territory. 

5. House-to-house Evangelism. 

By personal effort, also by distribution of tracts, 
literature, ete. 

6. Every Preacher Evangelizing. 

Every preacher holding meeting, backed by his 
own congregation, in some other field. 

What is needed in our church household to-day is 
not so much an adequate program, but a mighty spirit 
of evangelism, which will lead the people to seek in 
every possible way to lead men and women to Christ. 
Given such a church as this, many of our present-day 
problems will be solved. 


TEST QUESTIONS 


1. Does every church need an adequate evan- 
gelistic program ? 

2. Give the threefold program. 

3. How increase the membership of the church? 

4. Name five ways of building up the membership. 

5. State the importance of training the member- 


6. What are the suggested plans? 
7. In what ways can the church best serve? 
8S. What is most needed in our churches to-day? 


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AFTERWORD 
THE GOSPEL'S POWER TO WIN 


HIS volume began with ‘‘The Evangelism of 

Jesus.’’ It now fittingly closes with ‘‘The Gospel’s 
Power to Win.’’ The first chapter was an introduction 
to all that was to follow; this chapter is merely an 
afterword. 

Will this gospel of which we have talked all the 
while win? Will its cause triumph in that it shall 
win the world to the Christ of the gospel? Shall the 
black clouds that now threaten governments, threaten 
moral standards, threaten all religion, threaten life 
itself, be driven back and displaced by some power, 
and that power the gospel of the lowly Christ? 

There is power in mighty armies when mustered 
in millions. There is a greater power, however, of 
which the marshaled armies are but the manifesta- 
tion. That power is the power of an implanted idea 
or sentiment. 

The idea crystallized by Nietzsche, of Germany, 
the idea of ‘‘superman and the survival of the 
fittest,’’ was the power that plunged a world into war, 
sent forth the marching armies and baptized the na- 
tions in blood and tears. The social and political ideas 
of Karl Marx have penetrated the political, social and 


religious consciousness of millions, until to-day Russia 
: 379 


380 Evangelism 


has reverted to political, social and religious chaos, 
and the church and social fabric in every nation have 
been made to tremble and quake. There is scarcely a 
home so remote or a fireside so protected that they 
have not in some way been made to feel the far-reach- 
ing effects. The sacred desk consecrated to the 
preaching of the gospel of Christ has reflected and 
sometimes re-echoed the sound. 

Is there an idea or an ideal in all the world that 
ean lift men and nations out of sin, deceit, selfish- 
ness, death and destruction? If there is such an idea, 
where is it to be found if not in the love of God as re- 
vealed in a redeeming Saviour? Where is that idea 
contained if not in the gospel? How shall men be won 
to God if not by that gospel preached, for ‘‘the gos- 
pel is the power unto salvation’? (Rom. 1:16)? 

The marshaled hosts of men have overcome the 
defenses of nations, the cohorts of science have suc- 
cessfully attacked many of the strongholds of hard- 
ship and disease, but two things have never been 
successfully attacked by any human power or wis- 
dom. These two are sin and death. Men able to con- 
quer a world have themselves been conquered by sin 
and death. One alone has come saying: ‘‘I am come 
that ye might have life.’’ One alone has dared to 
attack the stone gates of death. One alone attempts 
to destroy the power of sin. Many have sought to 
destroy; one alone has come saying: ‘‘I am come to 
seek and to save.’’ Many have attempted by the 
power of personality to drive men or to rule men; 
one alone has come attempting by the power of His 
personality to uplift men, all men. Can that message 


Evangelism 381 


of His love and power win among men of all kinds 
and in all nations? 

This gospel has been tested again and again, and 
over and over. It remade Peter, the weak; Mary 
Magdalene, the defiled, and Thomas, the doubter. It 
found Thomas B. Gough a drunkard in a gutter, and 
made him a firebrand for the forces of righteousness. 
It found Africanus an outlaw even among savage 
cannibals, and made him a man clothed, cleansed and 
Christian, able to stand before Queen Victoria and 
plead that the redeeming power of the gospel be 
sent to his people, enslaved in sin and benighted in 
savagery. It found islands of the South Seas in- 
habited only by people in the deepest mire of canni- 
bal beastliness and heathenism, and in one genera- 
tion redeemed a race to Christian standards, life and 
hope. 

The gospel has met every kind of foe in every age, 
and has arisen triumphant from every conflict. Re- 
pression, oppression, hatred, fire and slaughter have 
been turned upon it again and again, and yet it goes 
on bearing its message of love and hope and right- 
eousness in climes more numerous and to nations 
more populous than ever before. It now speaks in 
six hundred and ever-increasing numbers of tongues 
and dialects. It sails every sea, it is penetrating every 
forest and scaling every mountain. 

Reeurring Saturnalia of sin, in every age, have 
swept away thousands like devouring prairie fires, and 
have caused some to doubt the gospel’s power, but 
in the darkness and slaughter its cup of mercy is ever 
extended and its light of hope has never ceased to 


382 Evangelism 


shine. It still goes on to bless and brighten and cheer 
and encourage and guide and assure in every step of 
life, from the birth-chamber to the dark chamber of 
death. 

Leaving out the inherent evidences of the gospel’s 
power which appear in the gospel itself, its very sur- 
vival from its many-~foes would show it as indestruc- 
tible and sure to accomplish that where-to the Lord 
has sent it. The gospel’s severest tests have come not 
from the household of its enemies, but from within 
the household of its friends. In all its centuries it 
has never had one perfect representative, and yet 
it has survived all that. In all its centuries it has 
_ had millions of poor, weak, stumbling and failing 
representatives, and yet it has survived all that. 
Crimes have been committed in its name and by its 
representatives and erring zealots, and yet it has sur- 
vived all that. Unnumbered attempts at human im- 
provements and interpretations have dimmed its 
radiance, deluded its followers, and divided its forces, 
but in the face of all that it has gone steadily for- 
ward. What may it do when its friends, with puri- 
fied hearts and chastened spirits, shall uplift a united 
voice and go forth as heralds of the gospel itself? 

This volume, which is a plea and a plan for a 
vastly increased number of laborers in the Lord’s 
ripe fields, is sent forth with the firm conviction 
that there is nothing so powerful to restore and 
strengthen faith in the gospel as the putting of the 
gospel to the test, and watching it do the work 
where-to God has sent it. TRAVERCE HARRISON. 












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